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The Transpod Hyperloop Project, which would transport Albertans from Calgary to Edmonton in 45 minutes, is currently at a standstill.
Sebastien Gendron, TransPod’s CEO and co-founder, says the delay is linked to Alberta’s ongoing work on its Passenger Rail Master Plan.
"When Danielle Smith took office, she launched an initiative to define the transportation strategy for the province, and then she told us to put everything on hold until the government has a better picture or understanding of what they want to do."
He does have high hopes that the project will still be able to go ahead once the provincial government has its plan.
"Hopefully it should be good news, and we try to remain flexible, that, let's say that Alberta prefers to develop high-speed trains rather than our technology for passengers. There's still room for us to develop our line for time-sensitive freight between the two airports."
The idea for the project started in 2020 when Transpod first approached the provincial government.
"In 2022, we submitted the first proposal to the Alberta government, where our investors were and are still ready to invest half a billion, to start with an initial test track in Edmonton."
On the TransPod, according to Gendron, the TransPod will be split 60/40, 60 per cent being light time-sensitive freight for companies (FedEx, Amazon, UPS and more) to move between cities faster than usual. The other 40 per cent will be riders between the cities.
He also shared that at this time, the company is reluctant to commit resources without clear direction, as doing so could create inefficiencies. The priority remains making responsible choices that benefit everyone involved.
If the transpod were to proceed, Gendron clarified that it would be able to transport 5000-10,000 per hour.
Originally, it was projected that it would cost somebody $90 to ride the TansPod, but with the project being delayed, that figure might change.
"For the full corridor, we'll need 20 million tons of steel, so there's a lot here for the steel ecosystem in Canada."
He concluded by saying the project would be privately funded, so they would not be requesting public funding.
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