TransPod announces steel partnership. (CNW Group/TransPod Inc)
TransPod, a Canadian company developing ultra-high-speed ground transportation through its TransPod Line infrastructure system and FluxJet vehicle, has announced a strategic collaboration with Algoma Steel and Supreme Steel that will help advance the construction of the Edmonton–Calgary Tube Transportation Project Test Track. The project has been designated by the Government of Alberta as one of the province’s major projects, a list of large-scale infrastructure developments expected to create jobs, attract investment and strengthen long-term competitiveness.
The FluxJet is TransPod’s all-electric vehicle designed to travel at more than 1,000 km/h on the TransPod Line, a network system with stations in major cities that the company says is expected to offer high-frequency departures and make travel fast, affordable and safe.
The strategic collaboration with Algoma Steel and Supreme Steel secures the materials and manufacturing capacity required for the project. And with Algoma’s ongoing transformation to electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, it expects to be positioned to supply low-carbon intensity steel for the project, strengthening the sustainability profile of the TransPod development.
Under the partnership agreement, Algoma Steel may supply 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of Canadian-made steel over the course of construction, and Supreme Steel will manufacture the precision steel guideways that will carry FluxJet vehicles.
During construction, the Edmonton–Calgary TransPod Line is expected to create up to 140,000 jobs in Alberta and contribute approximately $19.2 billion to the region’s GDP. Once operational, the line is expected to offer passenger fares about 44 per cent less than the current cost of air travel along the same corridor, and to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 636,000 tonnes per year.
Preliminary work has already been completed. While progress is paused pending the Government of Alberta’s transportation master plan, which is expected later this year, TransPod and its partners say they are fully prepared to resume development as soon as the province releases its strategy.
“Canadian industry is ready to deliver the future of transportation. Together with Algoma and Supreme Steel, we can generate jobs, strengthen supply chains, and position Alberta as a hub of productivity,” stated Sebastien Gendron, co-founder and CEO, TransPod.
“By supporting this transformation project, this partnership effectively secures long-term demand in Canada, reduces our reliance on exports, and ensures the strength of our steel sector for decades to come,” added Michael Garcia, CEO of Algoma Steel.
