Calgary Transit

[CalgaryTiger]

Calgary's proposed 2026 Budget is out...

2026 Budget

www.calgary.ca

$14M is earmarked in Ongoing Operating and described as, "increase ongoing funding for the implementation of the RouteAhead strategy meaning more frequency of service for Calgarians where it’s needed most: the busiest routes on the network."

Definitely required and long overdue.

Also an interesting metric... The Operating Cost per Passenger Trip.

 

[CBBarnett]

Calgary's proposed 2026 Budget is out...

2026 Budget

www.calgary.ca

$14M is earmarked in Ongoing operating and described as, "increase ongoing funding for the implementation of the RouteAhead strategy meaning more frequency of service for Calgarians where it’s needed most: the busiest routes on the network."

Definitely required and long overdue.

Also an interesting metric... The Operating Cost per Passenger Trip.

Nice and to the conversation in the other thread about the pros/cons of free transit, here's the line item for the low income subsidy pass:

To be clear, I am in full support of the fare subsidy program - it's exactly who and what we should be subsidizing, majorly improving mobility for a huge amount of lower income families. That's a net good!

....but it's hardly cheap (1.5x the budget that entire frequency improvement cost). Expanding the free fare zone or further subsidizing fares has a direct impact on what can be funded for service expansion in practice.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

it's hardly cheap

This is the argument that it should be covered by the Provincial government. It isn't the City's responsibility to do it. Like you, I don't mind that they're doing it.

Keep this in mind too...

40% of CTrain and bus riders now using low-income transit pass​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-city-council-budget-debate-low-income-transit-pass-1.7388496