Lethbridge Transit bus. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Province says no for low-income bussing support in Lethbridge

Jan 16, 2020 | 4:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A popular program for low-income families in Calgary and Edmonton will not be expanding to Lethbridge.

The City of Lethbridge had asked the Minister of Community and Social Services Rajan Sawhney for money to make it easier for people to afford bus passes.

“We want to make sure citizens in Lethbridge have access to the same services that are available in Calgary and Edmonton and the Low Income Transit program has been available in Calgary and Edmonton for several years,” says Mayor Chris Spearman.

Under the program, the provincial government gives the city money to put towards reducing the cost that families under a certain threshold would have to pay.

In Calgary, for example, there are three different price levels for bus passes. The exact cost depends on the income in a household and how many people live there.

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At all three levels, people in the Low Income Transit program would get a minimum of a 50% discount.

Given that Spearman claims Lethbridge has one of the highest poverty rates in Alberta, he believes that a supplement like this could make a big difference for many families.

According to the Lethbridge Community Wellbeing Needs Assessment Report that was released in April 2019, the “new official poverty line” in the city was set at $19,951 for a single person, $28,215 for a lone parent with one child, and $39,902 for a couple with two children.

13.8% of households were considered to be “low income”. This includes 15.5% of residents who are under the age of 18, 10.9% aged 18-64, and 8.3% who are 65 or older.

This compares to 12.8%, 8.2%, and 8.6% provincially.

Minister Sawhney wrote back to the city in a letter dated December 19, 2019, saying that the government is working hard to get Alberta’s finances back on track to ensure social services are sustainable over the longer term.

“With the fiscal challenges Alberta is facing, low-income transit funding is not being expanded beyond Edmonton and Calgary at this time. I appreciate your support for expanding the Low Income Transit Pass program to Lethbridge and will keep it under consideration as we continue to explore ways to ensure low-income Albertans have access to the supports and services they need.”