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Transit

Medicine Hat eligible for low-income transit provincial funding

Feb 2, 2023 | 11:31 AM

The Alberta government is investing up to $15 million to support low-income transit programs in the province with the rising cost of living and inflation.

Edmonton and Calgary each received $4.5 million for their low-income transit pass programs for 2022-23, with recent data showing almost 390,000 Albertans reaping the benefits.

$6 million in additional funding is being dispersed for multiple municipalities across the province to support the same type of transit programs and will be able to pay for some operating costs.

Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jeremy Nixon says thousands of Albertans rely on public transportation.

“With the inflation crisis making it more expensive to drive, many Albertans are depending on public transit to access their communities, but with inflation eating away at their budget even a transit pass is becoming more and more for many Albertans,” he said.

Nixon says there are 10 communities that are eligible for the funding, that already have low-income transit pass programs. He notes details on how communities can access the funding will be provided directly to municipalities that are eligible.

The 10 municipalities are:

  • Airdrie,
  • Banff,
  • Canmore,
  • Cochrane,
  • Cold Lake,
  • Fort Saskatchewan,
  • Grande Prairie,
  • Medicine Hat,
  • St. Albert,
  • Strathcona County.

“We will be exploring options to further expand to all municipalities that are in the process of establishing a low-income transit system. This could include up to twelve more communities across the province,” said Nixon.

The 12 potential communities expanding their public transit systems are:

  • Beaumont,
  • Camrose,
  • Diamond Valley,
  • Hinton,
  • Leduc,
  • Lethbridge,
  • Okotoks,
  • Red Deer,
  • Spruce Grove,
  • Stony Plain,
  • Whitecourt,
  • Wood Buffalo.

Nixon says the inflation and cost of living crisis is causing “undo pain and worry” for people living in Alberta.

The province notes the investment is a part of their Affordability Action Plan.