(The Edmonton Sun posted the following article by Jerry Ward on its website on December 10.)
EDMONTON — The provincial government says it is willing to explore the potential of a railway link that heads north to Alaska.
Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski recently told a business luncheon in the Yukon that getting the North American railway grid from northern Alberta and British Columbia through the Yukon to link up with the Alaska Railway would stimulate resource development in the North.
Murkowski told the audience that the North is the continent’s breadbasket, with potential for more development of resources, including minerals, timber, fish, oil and gas.
Having a main rail-link anchor – which he described as a transportation corridor – would promote resource development, stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life for northern residents. “We would like to encourage that type of development because we think that type of venue would be attractive,” Murkowski said.
Alberta Tory cabinet ministers Mark Norris and Ed Stelmach say the province is keen to hear further details of Murkowski’s idea.
“We definitely will be interested,” said Stelmach, the transportation minister. “As we push farther north to develop our resources, we have to find a balance between how much we can do in terms of building roads up north and how much freight and people we can move by rail.
“Roads are quite costly. They’re all borne by the taxpayers – we’re looking at some cost-efficiencies of using rail.”
Norris, the economic development minister, said the Conservative government is already trying to develop a strategy to increase railway access into the North, so Murkowski’s notion would fit right in.
“I think it’s a great idea,” said Norris. “I think there’s a couple of bridges that need to be built, but overall it would be wonderful for northern development.
But Norris said talk of establishing a high-speed train from Alaska to Alberta may be a bit premature.
“I know every time high-speed rail is mentioned, the costs are very, very prohibitive and you have to have a real big market for it,” he said.