The original Phase 1 of the alignment spanned 18 kilometres from Shepard Station at 130 Avenue S.E. to Eau Claire Station at the north end of downtown with 13 stations. This was a reported cost of $5.5 billion in 2020.

The revised scope for Phase 1 will construct from Eau Claire to Lynnwood/Millican, removing kilometres of rail and stations at Ogden, South Hill, Quarry Park, Douglas Glen and Shepard, as well as deferring the Centre Street S. station and shifting the 4 Street S.E. station from below grade to ground level. This is a reported cost of $6.2 billion.

Councillor Sharp was not supportive of this phase, paying more and getting less, and the need to ensure that the Green Line project was serving the areas that need it the most. This revised scope falls short of serving the areas that do - getting the train to the South. She also believes there could have been other options we could have considered that connected our pre-existing systems without leaving people stranded in those south suburban communities.

This project is a financial risk, not just for the City but for the average Calgarian. Cost escalations are unending, and Calgarians cannot afford more increases to their property taxes. Councillor Sharp opposed the proposal to avoid further burdening an already struggling city and risking Calgary's fiscal integrity.

Councillor Sharp is concerned about upcoming Mid-Cycle Adjustment and future conversations about critical infrastructure. In order for the Green Line to meet its additional funding requirements City Administration will need to carefully weigh any other investments in formulating recommendations to Council for Mid-Cycle Adjustments to the 2023-2026 Service Plans that Council has directed Administration.  She is concerned there is a risk of crippling future investments like fieldhouses, libraries, and or, growth applications. Also, committing 75% of 2024 positive variance to this project will limit The City’s ability to fund other capital and one-time operating investments during this period.

Starting in 2026, $8 million per year (Green Line LRT operation & maintenance) will need to be funded through tax increases, other revenue, or service reductions, which will need to be determined as part of service planning and budgeting process annually. 

We must work within our current financial means and not rely on uncertain future funds.

The City has allocated an additional $705 million to build this first phase of the Green Line LRT, and will be factored into recommended adjustments to the Service Plan and Budgets later this September.

The $705 million consists of:

• $208 million from the Reserve for Future Capital that Council set aside for capital cost escalations, using 2023 tax-supported operating savings.
• $133 million through the prioritization of 75 per cent of any future tax-supported operating savings from 2025-2031 to Green Line.
• $252 million towards the Green Line Fund for Operating & Maintenance, $8 million per year 2025-2031, accumulating each year until opening. The City's Service plans and budgets will determine the amount from efficiencies, tax revenue, or other sources.  
• $112 million in new growth, equating to $16 million per year from 2025-2031.

The City is putting more money into this project, draining any current and future funds.

The new project does not meet the needs of Calgarians, particularly those in the south. It does not make sense to begin a transit line where there are already ample options for riders, while the south has limited to non-existent options. Additionally, the project includes downtown tunnelling to create underground stations, posing significant risks that could cause irreparable damage.

Although Councillor Sharp fully supports access to safe and reliable transit, she recognizes when a project has gone too far and lost its value. The new Phase 1 of the Green Line has altered the project's entire meaning and poses a risk to current and future funds, as well as to Calgarians' pockets.