Calgary Transit

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

Increased train frequency could definitely improve safety as well, its one of the advantages I've noted of skytrain type systems over slow pseudo-streetcars.

Of course an even better solution is removing the problem altogether!

300 million can buy a lot of one way plane tickets to Ottawa for repeat offenders, with more than enough left over to build halfway houses in neighborhoods where judges live.

Until attitudes in those two communities change, the situation on the ground won't.

 

[trtcttc]

Increased train frequency could definitely improve safety as well, its one of the advantages I've noted of skytrain type systems over slow pseudo-streetcars.

Of course an even better solution is removing the problem altogether!

300 million can buy a lot of one way plane tickets to Ottawa for repeat offenders, with more than enough left over to build halfway houses in neighborhoods where judges live.

Until attitudes in those two communities change, the situation on the ground won't.

There's criminals which I agree the criminal justice system has failed. But there's a large population of homeless, drug addicted people that aren't necessarily violent, but volatile. You can convict them for crimes they commit, but not for potential to randomly punch someone in the face.

 

[Surrealplaces]

NY and Toronto both did security surges after elevated crime levels after Covid. The effectiveness of that was rather dubious, with most of the decline occurring naturally. The best way to get the bad element out is to increase ridership. Or at a minimum they don't create the feeling of being unsafe as a half empty train.

Increased ridership would help, but it's not something that can happen with the wave of a wand, it takes time to build ridership, and with it's current reputation or public perception that's not going to happen easily. I think the extra security is needed now even if might not be a long term solution. It can't hurt to spend extra money protecting a large investment that's already suffering from a public perception of not being safe. And not all of it is perception.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I think investing in frequency helps here a lot, perhaps even more than additional security in some cases.

Just having more buses and trains out there spreads people out - it means fewer people are likely to be stuck on the same vehicle as the occasional person with anti-social behaviour. It also changes an individual's risk calculus - I won't risk going onto the train with a sketchy looking situation if the next one is in 5 minutes, I might risk it if the next train is 20 minutes away.

By reducing the chance of exposure to anti-social stuff, by simple having more capacity - not only do I get around faster due to more frequency, I also perceive less anti-social behaviour at all, because I don't spend as much time on the system, and I just don't see it because it's more spread out (even if total amount of anti-social stuff remains the same).

Increased frequency would help. I don't know what the costs would be for increased frequency, but it's something that could be looked at. Extra security isn't a long term solution, but a bit of money invested into extra security wouldn't hurt. I don't think it would need to be a lot of money, and could help sway public perception of its safety, which could help boost ridership, and go hand in hand with increased frequency.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

I have recently thought the City could really do something about its perception and undertake a public awareness campaign that is a look behind the curtain. It has worked well in sports to get people to understand what it is actually like to be an athlete. You could do it for Calgary Transit and any other City department. A lot of organizations have had to resort to creating their own content because the media has been cut so deeply, they're unable give people anything more than a surface level look. Showing people what they're getting for their money and the challenges the City does face. The City could put a little cancon out there and show their work. I hear so much about the tail wagging the dog at City Hall, my perspective is because that dog doesn't hunt. Without the bureaucracy giving some guidance I'm afraid of what some councils would do.

 

[trtcttc]

I don't disagree with the security challenges, just not sure how to solve it. The challenge with security is that for it to make a visible difference, the amount and scale would need to very large since even 20 personnel would hardly be noticeable. Second is the ability to do anything. If it's Peace officers that get expensive, private security are just for show, and for officers to arrest someone, "looking sketchy" is not enough. They'd need to actually commit a crime. Most people are mainly afraid of assaults. For an officer to be present when it happens to stop it, there would have to be a massive force.

 

[trtcttc]

I have recently thought the City could really do something about its perception and undertake a public awareness campaign that is a look behind the curtain. It has worked well in sports to get people to understand what it is actually like to be an athlete. You could do it for Calgary Transit and any other City department. A lot of organizations have had to resort to creating their own content because the media has been cut so deeply, they're unable give people anything more than a surface level look. Showing people what they're getting for their money and the challenges the City does face. The City could put a little cancon out there and show their work. I hear so much about the tail wagging the dog at City Hall, my perspective is because that dog doesn't hunt. Without the bureaucracy giving some guidance I'm afraid of what some councils would do.

The city actually does a decent job with this, but hard to get the reach. There's videos on how our waste/recycling/organics are processed as an example. Last year, they put out videos on water treatment during the water main break. They also have a podcast deep diving into city administration.

 

[lemongrab]

I have recently thought the City could really do something about its perception and undertake a public awareness campaign that is a look behind the curtain. It has worked well in sports to get people to understand what it is actually like to be an athlete. You could do it for Calgary Transit and any other City department. A lot of organizations have had to resort to creating their own content because the media has been cut so deeply, they're unable give people anything more than a surface level look. Showing people what they're getting for their money and the challenges the City does face. The City could put a little cancon out there and show their work. I hear so much about the tail wagging the dog at City Hall, my perspective is because that dog doesn't hunt. Without the bureaucracy giving some guidance I'm afraid of what some councils would do.

This did a decent job of showing some of the invisible challenges/complexities involved in running transit...but of course it showed the sensational* side of security and cleanliness, too:

Sensational may not be quite the right word because those issues are undoubtedly true...tough to strike the right balance of honesty without amplifying the negative aspects

 

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

There's criminals which I agree the criminal justice system has failed. But there's a large population of homeless, drug addicted people that aren't necessarily violent, but volatile. You can convict them for crimes they commit, but not for potential to randomly punch someone in the face.

Well first off, we don't currently have a criminal justice system. What Canada presently has instead is a judicial industry.

Lots of economic activity can stem from catch and release policies!

Why spend all that public money on one trial, when a single criminal could generate several trials of work hours for judges, lawyers, clerks, police and so on.

Not to mention all the economic activity that can stem from the crimes themselves. Broken windows need replacements, torched buildings mean new buildings are required. Etcetera etcetera etcetera...

In any case, catch and release is an Ottawa problem to fix, so I think the provinces should to what they can to encourage that.

As for noncriminal homeless (or non violent at least), we could broadly categorize those into either 'unfortunates' or junkies.

AFAIK Ottawa is still pretending there isn't an opium war going on, so again the provinces should do what they can to help raise awareness of this..

And while I would prefer to see local help for those who are genuinely down on their luck, or on the wrong end of the latest job loss wave, let's not pretend that Ottawa's TFW programs and relaxed rules around 'student' employment haven't upended the entry / low end job market, leaving those with a bad stroke of luck with fewer rebound options.

In any case, its somewhere between funny and frustrating to hear municipal politicos opine about such things, as though they were in a position to make meaningful corrective measures.

They are not.

Maybe a municipal bylaw that would require MP/MLA offices to share building space with a shelter, food bank or outreach center of some kind?

Help make sure the forgotten aren't forgotten.