Province cancelling funding for low-income transit passes in Calgary and Edmonton

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Alberta has informed Calgary and Edmonton that it will no longer fund transit passes for low-income residents, fanning the flames in the fight between the two levels of government as they wrestle over finances and jurisdiction.

Both big-city mayors on Tuesday condemned the government’s decision to cut funding in the midst of an affordability crisis, adding it will further burden their financially strapped municipalities. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek called it an “absolute cruelty to low-income Calgarians” who rely on discounted transit passes to attend work, school and medical appointments.

“I cannot believe this government is not keeping up their end of the bargain,” said Ms. Gondek to reporters, adding the city is already funding about 84 per cent of the transit passes. “This game is getting old. It’s getting stale. And it’s about time that they step up to their responsibilities.”

The United Conservative Party government has been scrapping with the cities in recent months on a variety of issues such as homelessness, public safety and housing.

The clearing of encampments in Edmonton in January, for example, erupted into a game of political finger-pointing as the two levels of government clashed about how to best support the unhoused population. And in Calgary this month, Ms. Gondek said she would continue negotiating directly with Ottawa in defiance of Alberta’s proposed law that would require municipalities to obtain permission before signing, changing or renewing funding deals with the federal government.

Last week, both city leaders spoke out against new legislation that would give the provincial cabinet the authority to dismiss city councillors and overturn local bylaws, in addition to allowing political parties at the municipal level. Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi called it an “attack on local democracy.”

Alexandru Cioban, press secretary to Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon, said in a statement that transit is a municipal responsibility and the province is investing more in “core services” in areas such as homelessness and housing.

He also pointed to other funding provided to low-income Albertans in Edmonton and Calgary.

Edmonton got a jump last year from $4.5-million to about $5.8-million in provincial funding for its Leisure Access and Ride Transit Program. Mr. Sohi, in a statement Tuesday, said the program has been an “overwhelming success,” with more than 100,000 participants in January alone. He said the city is already facing financial pressures owing to “provincial downloading,” and this cut will compound its hardship.

“The decision to defund this program in Edmonton and Calgary shows that the province’s priorities are in the wrong place,” said Mr. Sohi.

In Calgary, the Alberta government has been providing annual grants since 2017 of about $4.5-million to support its transit program for residents living below the poverty line. Last year, the province added an additional $1.7-million to extend the program to seniors living in multi-generational households.

Nearly 120,000 Calgarians had been issued a low-income pass through March of this year. Both cities said they have seen significant growth in uptake of the program in recent years.

“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,” said Ms. Gondek.

Premier Danielle Smith on Monday announced $9-million to study the feasibility of a passenger rail system, stressing the need for reliable transportation as Alberta’s population rapidly grows. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen, during the same news conference, touted provincial investments to expand light-rail transit systems in both major cities.

Ms. Smith’s government, in February, 2023, said supporting low-income transit programs would help make life more affordable for Albertans who are struggling to “heat their homes and feed their families.” A government press release at the time said the transit programs in Edmonton and Calgary helped nearly 390,000 people in 2022.

Also this week, Alberta Municipalities released a preliminary analysis of the government’s proposed changes to the Municipal Government Act and Local Authorities Election Act. Its president Tyler Gandam, on Monday, said the government bill threatens municipal autonomy and would only serve to “centralize, strengthen, and tighten” Ms. Smith’s hold on power.

“It will set neighbours against each other. It will keep local officials constantly second-guessing the best decisions for their communities and impede the progress of our villages, towns and cities,” said Mr. Gandam.

The association, which represents communities large and small, said it supports some proposed changes, such as enabling the government to postpone municipal elections during emergencies and making the municipal affairs minister responsible for validating municipal recall petitions.

But it is opposed to the more drastic measures, including giving cabinet the authority to direct cities to take specific actions to protect public safety and remove elected municipal officials without adequate justification or process.