EDMONTON—Edmontontonians are a step closer to two LRT expansions as the city has received a crucial piece of funding for Valley Line and Metro Line LRT extensions.

The federal government announced a total of $1 billion for both the Valley Line West LRT and Metro Line Northwest LRT projects on Monday.

When the Valley Line is fully complete, it will run 27 kilometres between Mill Woods in southeast Edmonton and the west-end community of Lewis Farms. The southeast leg from downtown to Mill Woods is currently under construction, and the new funding will cover the expansion from downtown to Lewis Farms.

The Metro Line currently covers 3.3 km from downtown Edmonton to NAIT, and the funding will cover the line’s expansion from NAIT to the city limits near St. Albert.

“Edmonton is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities, and we are planning and building our city with this growth in mind. We are undertaking the most ambitious expansion of our LRT network in our history so we can grow smart and sustainably, and keep more than a million people moving,” said Mayor Don Iveson in a release.

“Today's announcement is a true representation of partnership between all levels of government, a partnership that is needed in order to continue to make valuable investments like these that will benefit the generations to come.”

Out of the $1 billion, $948 million will go to the Valley Line West and approximately $127 million for the Metro Line Northwest LRT.

In November, the province committed $1.17 billion toward both projects.

With the funding in place, the city will move forward with procuring contractors for Valley Line West and Metro Line from NAIT to Blatchford.

Now that both levels of government have committed money, the city can finalize its $706 million municipal funding for both projects and will bring them to city council for consideration this spring.

Construction on both projects is expected to begin in 2020.

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