Watson questions future of Valley Line operations amid speculation over potential ETS takeover

A Valley Line Southeast train sits at Davies LRT Station in Edmonton in September 2024.

EDMONTON — Former Edmonton mayoral candidate Jesse Watson is calling for greater transparency from the City of Edmonton after raising concerns about the future operation of the Valley Line LRT.

The Valley Line Southeast is currently operated by TransEd Partners under a 30 year public private partnership agreement.

The Valley Line Southeast was built at a cost of approximately $1.8 billion and entered service years behind schedule following issues involving cracked support piers. The Valley Line West is a $2.6 billion project that has also faced construction delays.

Edmonton Transit Wave said it recently heard discussion at an Edmonton Transit Riders launch event at Blatchford Gates regarding the complexities of reopening the agreement between the City of Edmonton and TransEd Partners.

While the discussion was not conducted on the record, Edmonton Transit Wave understood that reopening the contract could require a new procurement process and potentially result in the City assuming responsibilities currently managed under the existing public private partnership agreement.

Edmonton Transit Wave also heard speculation that TransEd Partners may have limited interest in continuing operations if financial pressures associated with project delays outweigh the benefits of the current contract structure.

Watson’s Claims

In a recent Instagram post, Watson suggested City administration may be preparing for Edmonton Transit Service to operate the Valley Line West when it opens and potentially assume responsibility for the Valley Line Southeast in the future.

"If that's the plan, why is there no public discussion?" Watson wrote. "No council vote, or was it in secret? No public hearing? No consultation with taxpayers, transit workers or unions?"

Watson argued that any transition would likely carry financial implications for taxpayers and should be publicly debated before any decisions are finalized.

He noted that the Valley Line West will operate Hyundai Rotem light rail vehicles while the Valley Line Southeast currently uses Alstom trains (Formerly Bombardier Rail). According to Watson, managing two separate fleets could increase maintenance, training and long term operating costs.

Watson said any decision involving a transfer of operations should be accompanied by a public business case outlining the costs, risks and benefits.

"The numbers should be on the table, not discussed behind closed doors," Watson wrote.

He also renewed his call for an independent audit of Edmonton's transit system and urged greater transparency from City administration.

Public Reaction

Watson's post generated significant discussion online, with many commenters expressing support for TransEd's operation of the Valley Line.

One commenter argued that if TransEd were to terminate its agreement and the City assumed operations, taxpayers could become responsible for costs and liabilities that are currently borne by the private operator.

The commenter also noted that the City would inherit responsibility for meeting service, maintenance and performance standards currently tied to TransEd's compensation, including incentives related to reliability, on time service and overall system performance.

Another commenter praised TransEd's management of the Valley Line, citing reliable service, strong communication and customer service.

The commenter also argued that TransEd employees regularly go beyond their required duties and appear invested in the success of the system.

Other commenters were more direct in their opposition to a potential takeover.

"The city will screw this up like every other thing they touch," one commenter wrote.

Another wrote, "Noooooo please don't let the City take over TransEd. Valley Line run by TransEd is why I take ETS."

According to Edmonton Transit Wave, feedback collected through its surveys website and social media channels has similarly shown significant support for TransEd's operation of the Valley Line, although detailed polling data has not yet been released.

Official Responses

Edmonton Transit Wave said it has reached out to TransEd Partners, Edmonton Transit Service, Edmonton Transit Riders and members of Edmonton City Council for comment.

The organization is also collecting additional public feedback, including comments posted on Reddit.

As of publication, the City of Edmonton has not announced any plans to change the operating structure of either the Valley Line Southeast or Valley Line West.

The City of Edmonton has also not officially announced an operator for the Valley Line West as of this writing, although its Annual Service Plan states that an operator will be selected in 2026 to run the entire Valley Line.