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By Chris Brown

Feds, province helping fuel Medicine Hat Transit

Apr 13, 2022 | 1:26 PM

Medicine Hat Transit will receive more than $600,000 through a joint federal-provincial program supporting transit systems across the province.

The Relief for Shortfalls for Transit Operators will see each level of government commit $79.5 million to a total of 26 municipalities struggling with revenue due to low ridership over the past two years.

Medicine Hat will receive $627,653. Transit systems in Calgary and Edmonton will get $82,364,776 and $66,968,451, respectively. A full list of communities and the money they’ll receive is below.

“Public transit connects our communities and people, helping them get to where they need to be – whether it is to visit loved ones, to access essential services or to get home after a hard day at work,” Randy Boissonnault, federal minister of tourism and associate Minister of finance, states in a release. “This investment helps strengthen our public transit as demand post-pandemic picks up, while helping to make life more affordable for Albertans.”

Alberta Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney says public transit is an essential service and the province is “proud to step up and recognizes how important transit services are to our communities.”

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Quick facts

• Funding for the Calgary region:
  • Calgary – $82,364,776
  • Airdrie – $305,871
  • Okotoks – $20,920
  • Rocky View County (Crossfield, Irricana/Beiseker) – $18,609
  • Cochrane – $15,269
• Funding for the Edmonton region:
  • Edmonton – $66,968,451
  • Strathcona County – $1,335,318
  • St. Albert – $795,334
  • Spruce Grove – $113,151
  • Leduc – $103,863
  • Fort Saskatchewan – $76,910
  • Beaumont – $63,901
  • Stony Plain – $5,000
• Funds will also be provided to other communities across the province:
  • Red Deer – $2,095,524
  • Lethbridge – $1,234,833
  • Wood Buffalo – $1,194,284
  • Bow Valley (Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise) – $1,162,420
  • Medicine Hat – $627,653
  • Grande Prairie – $332,852
  • Cold Lake – $123,632
  • Whitecourt – $23,369
  • Hinton – $5,000
  • Camrose – $5,000
  • Black Diamond – $5,000