As the wind-down of Calgary’s Green Line LRT project continues, the project’s CEO has announced he is stepping down from the role.
Darshpreet Bhatti told city councillors during an update Tuesday that he’s transitioning out of the role this week after three years at the helm of the multi-billion-dollar project.
“Serving this community over the last three years and meeting thousands of Calgarians from all walks of life is the most rewarding experience of this job that I’ve had,” Bhatti told council.
“Thank you for your support. That support, that engagement, that encouragement made my time truly special in Calgary.”
City officials continue to wind down the Calgary version of the Green Line LRT, after the province pulled its share of $1.53 funding from the project following council’s decision to approve a shortened first phase of the line with a ballooned budget of $6.2 billion.
Council voted in September to begin winding down the project, as the province contracted engineering firm AECOM to find alternate alignments for a southeast LRT that is at-grade or elevated in the downtown core to Shepard.
Following weeks of discussions, the city and provincial government came to an agreement to reinstate provincial funding and salvage several contracts related to the southeast portion of the line including design work from Victoria Park to Shepard as well as the purchase of LRV cars that will run on the line.
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Green Line officials told council Tuesday that 53 per cent of the current agreements have been closed, which represent around one per cent of the estimated $850 million in costs to wind down the project.
“I wish the city continued success, not just on this program but all other infrastructure initiatives,” Bhatti said. “Because I genuinely believe Calgarians need them and they deserve them.”
City council also voted Tuesday to dissolve the Green Line Board, the project’s oversight body.
Administration said the Green Line will now become a new city department overseen by the city’s chief administrative officer.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek told reporters details are still to come on how the city will manage the future of the Green Line project moving forward.
Gondek said the Green Line Board was tasked with overseeing the project’s alignment approved by council in 2020, which was halted by council in September.
“You cannot have a board overseeing something that doesn’t exist. There is no new alignment through the downtown yet. We don’t know what it looks like to keep going from (Victoria Park) to Shepard, there’s really not a project right now,” Gondek said.
“It’s certainly not the project the Green Line Board was brought in for, therefore they have taken it upon themselves to disband.”
The board held its last meeting on Monday.
“Our beliefs are that this infrastructure, the Green Line, is critical to the future of this city,” now-former Green Line Board chair Don Fairbairn told council.
“We only have the best hopes and wishes that the citizens will be well-served by your decisions together with our funding partners as you move forward through this uncertain period.”
Gondek said a working group has been formed between the city and provincial officials, and there is regular communication on the future of the project.
A report on the province’s desired alignment for the Green Line LRT is expected by the end of the year.
