The Alberta government’s commitment to Ray Gibbon Drive won’t end with his term in office, Premier Ed Stelmach said this week.
Stelmach first promised the city funding for the extra work the city performed to allow the road to be converted to a provincial highway in the future.
In 2007, he reached a handshake agreement with former Mayor Paul Chalifoux for the funding and his government has since followed up with letters confirming the city’s estimates of the costs.
“I am certain that I met and honoured all of the commitments of my predecessor and I suspect that my successor will keep the same commitments.”
Stelmach said the transportation minister is putting together his three-year plan now and is trying to work out what the province will be able to fund during that time.
“It all depends on what the second quarter is going to look like. The first quarter was, of course, very good, and we are holding our own in this second quarter.”
The province’s first-quarter update, which was released in August, showed the province’s deficit was tracking $2.1 billion lower than what the government projected in the March budget.
Finance Minister Lloyd Snelgrove even speculated the province might be able to break even before the year is over.
Earlier this month, the city borrowed $15.9 million to complete the third stage of the road, from the existing end point at Giroux Road north to Villeneuve Road.
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse said the city expected the commitment would outlast Stelmach.
“I don’t see any questions in this. We certainly have got enough letters from the government that reinforce that, so I am not concerned about that.”
The province has thus far refunded the city about $25 million and Crouse believes there is still a further $1.2 million outstanding for the first two stages.
With the borrowing in place, the construction of the final phase could start this fall, but will definitely be underway by next spring. Crouse estimated, at that point, the province’s share would be about $15 million.
Stelmach said the road is a vital part of the local infrastructure and he expects it to be good for the local economy.
“This will be a hub for a lot of freight traffic and, once the ring roads are complete, you are going to see the economy grow,” he said. “It is not building infrastructure that isn’t necessary. It is not only improving the economy in the area, but it is also reducing some of the traffic constraints.”
