More people are riding Calgary Transit than before the COVID-19 pandemic, with ridership reaching over 101 million trips in 2024, a 12 percent increase from the previous year. This growth has led to changes in service, including:
- The introduction of on-demand service in 11 new neighborhoods.
- Increased frequency on the Red and Blue Line CTrains.
Calgary Transit director Sharon Fleming stated, "We’re looking at all kinds of efficiencies and trying to improve the routes we have but we’re really tapped out. We need to get to a point where we’re truly investing in the lines in the primary transit network to provide faster frequent service that Calgarians need."
Currently, only about one-tenth of Calgarians live within 400 meters of the primary transit network. According to Fleming, this number is expected to change under the RouteAhead strategy, which envisions nearly one million people living within 400 meters of the primary transit network when it’s fully built out.
Funding Requests
To achieve this goal, Calgary Transit officials are requesting significant funding increases over several years:
- An annual $15 million increase each year until 2034 for operating funding.
- $45 million annually for new buses and trains.
- A $500 million investment into fleet storage facility maintenance by 2037.
This investment would allow them to achieve up to 10-minute frequency on their main line for a minimum of 15 hours daily, seven days a week, by 2034.
However, city councillor Sean Chu voted against providing extra funds, citing concerns that other departments face cuts while they receive more money from city reserves this year. A $3 million increase was requested due largely to rising costs such as fuel, wages, and maintenance.
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