Province pulls funding for low-income transit passes in Calgary, Edmonton
Update: the Government of Alberta has reversed its decision and will continue to fund low-income transit pass programs in Calgary and Edmonton.
A program providing low-income Calgarians and Edmontonians a financial break on their monthly transit passes is losing millions of dollars in annual support from the provincial government, city councillors confirmed Tuesday.
The provincial contribution included $4.5 million annually for the program in Calgary.
An additional $1.7-million boost to support a yearly pass for low-income seniors was announced in 2023.
The province is pulling the entire $6.2-million pot from Calgary.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon, saying she is "appalled" the province would choose to slash funding for the pass "in the midst of an affordability crisis."
"Calgary's Low-Income Transit Pass enables Calgarians to travel around the city to attend medical appointments, work and school. At more than 119,000 passes issued through March of this year, this is a much-needed and well-used program that provides transit access to Calgarians living below the poverty line," Gondek said.
"The need for this program is growing, with the number of passes sold increasing by 35 per cent over last year.
"It is an insult to the lowest-income Calgarians who are already struggling to get by. This provincial government continues to burden big cities by walking away from their commitments. Rather than spend $6.2 million to help low-income Calgarians and seniors get around now, this provincial government would rather spend more time dreaming about private-public partnerships for trains decades from now."
The Low-Income Transit Pass (LITP) program was launched in Calgary in 2005 and has been funded in part by the Alberta government since 2017.
It establishes a sliding scale for people to receive discounted monthly transit passes based on income.
"We're talking about affordability and we're talking about the struggles our seniors are having — whether it be from food or housing or other. The last thing we want to do is nickel-and-dime our municipal governments," said Terry Wong, councillor for Ward 7 in Calgary.
"We need to find a way to either ask them for a continuance in the program or find another way to fund it."
A program providing low-income Calgarians and Edmontonians a financial break on their monthly transit passes is losing millions of dollars in annual support from the provincial government, city councillors confirmed Tuesday.
The program has been well-used in Edmonton, too.
"At a time when Edmontonians are struggling to afford their basic needs and demand for this program has increased 150 per cent since 2016, the decision to defund this program in Edmonton and Calgary shows that the province's priorities are in the wrong place," a statement from Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi read.
"The City of Edmonton is already facing financial pressures due to provincial downloading, and this additional reduction in funding is unfortunate."
In Calgary, the LITP program provides monthly passes for a cost of between $5.80 and $57.50, depending on income.
It's a discount of at least 50 per cent per month.
When asked why the Alberta government was pulling the $6.2 million from Calgary, a provincial spokesperson did not answer the question.
The spokesperson for the minister of seniors, community and social services instead pointed to other transit programs the Alberta government supports.
"Alberta's government is investing $5 million to support transportation programs for low-income Albertans in rural communities where transportation options are limited," the statement reads in part.
"Alberta's government also provides over $3.5 million to low-income Albertans on social benefits to support them getting transportation across the province, including in Edmonton and Calgary.
"As transit is a municipal responsibility in the two big cities, we are investing more in core services delivered by the province like homelessness and housing."
At city hall later on Tuesday, Calgary's councillors all voted in favour of an attempt to recoup the $6.2-million funding loss by requesting that the Alberta government decrease its property tax requisition for the year by that amount.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'On the edge of failing': Most of Canada gets a 'D' on poverty report cards
Poverty and food insecurity have worsened in most of Canada in the past year and most provincial governments aren't doing enough to address the problem, according to a just-released series of report cards.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.
Fish oil supplements may raise risk of stroke, heart issues, study suggests
As an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, daily fish oil supplements are a popular way to keep the risk of cardiovascular disease at bay.
Private island on Nova Scotia's South Shore listed for $15.8M
A private island on Nova Scotia’s South Shore has been listed for sale with a $11.5-million USD price tag.
U.K. prime minister calls national election for July 4
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a national election on Wednesday, naming July 4 as the date for a vote his governing Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party after 14 years in power.
'Happy tears' of victim's sister after prison attack on serial killer Robert Pickton
Cynthia Cardinal said she was 'overwhelmed' with happiness when she received a text message on Monday with the news that serial killer Robert Pickton, who murdered her sister, was attacked in prison. She called it 'karma.'
Montreal photographer captures dramatic Canada goose vs. fox fight on video
A Montreal photographer captured the moment a Canada goose defended itself from a fox at the Botanical Garden.
Blood vial delivery prompts evacuation of Republican headquarters in Washington
The Republican National Committee's headquarters in Washington was briefly evacuated on Wednesday morning after a suspicious package containing two vials of blood was delivered to the building, the police and the RNC said.
World's most expensive feather sells at New Zealand auction
A feather from a long-extinct New Zealand bird has set a record after selling for $46,521 NZD (about US$28,400), the auction house handling the sale has said.