Council approves further steps on North Highway Connector project

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The cost of planning and design of the overpass is pegged at $1.9 million in 2019 and to be funded through debt. However, it’s hoped higher levels of government will help with that cost once the multi-year, nearly $13 million project is aimed to be finished in 2021.

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Councilor Ken Johnston says he’s hoping Alberta Transportation doesn’t ‘leave us at the altar.’

“Highway 11A is a provincial asset, or amenity, if you will,” Johnston said Tuesday. “So if we invest a bunch of capital in that particular project like bridges and lane widening and then the province tells us that we’re no longer in their plan, then we would be carrying an inordinate amount of the debt to be able to finance that which would impact our ability to finance something like the aquatic centre.”

What city council does know at this point, according to Johnston, is the North Highway Connector project is currently in the government’s three-year plan.

“We’re in the 2019 column, if you will, so there’s some comfort there,” he explained. “So there’s great comfort in knowing that if it is a ‘no’, it will come back to us early and will be enough for us to pull our horns back and really take a second look at how we’re going to finance that whole area.”

City Manager Craig Curtis and several members of council agree and feel the entire North Highway Connector project should be subject to provincial funding.

Councilor Vesna Higham weighed in by saying, “In order to maintain developer confidence, we cannot flinch on this project.

Councilor Tanya Handley added, “We need to address this portion of Highway 11A sooner rather than later in order to facilitate our growth to the north.”

Councillor Frank Wong says the project is needed and that the City should move forward with it. Mayor Tara Veer said, “It is a long-standing community request to grow to the north. We need to be development ready.”

The North Highway Connector project includes $12.4 million in expenditures for the 2019 capital budget and $147 million in the 2020-2028 capital plan for a total of $159.5 million. City officials note $30.8 million in capital grants has previously been received for the entire North Highway Connector project.