Calgary Transit’s downtown free fare zone will be the subject of an in-depth review, months after city council narrowly voted against its elimination.
Late Tuesday, Calgary city council voted unanimously in favour of a motion from councillors John Pantazopoulos and Andrew Yule, which asked for “a comprehensive review” of the downtown free fare zone, including the implications of eliminating it.
“There’s no predetermined conclusion on this report, we just need the data,” Yule told reporters. “This could make the free fare zone longer, it could be shorter, it’s hard to say unless we have the data to make those decisions.”
According to the motion, administration’s review will include analysis on the “operational, financial, ridership, and safety impacts” of reforming the downtown free fare zone, including the implications of establishing the area as a “fare paid zone.”
It comes just months after city council narrowly voted 8-7 against eliminating the free fare zone during budget deliberations, which was prompted by TD announcing it was pulling out of its sponsorship of the zone in late November.
“During last year’s budget, Coun. Yule and I voted differently on whether we need to eliminate the downtown free fare zone,” Pantazopoulos said to council. “But instead of staying in our corners and sulking, we sat down and asked ourselves a very simple question: what are we both trying to achieve?”
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The councillors argued changes in downtown activity, transit usage, safety concerns, and fare compliance warrant a review.
The review is expected to include analysis on fare revenue changes, enforcement and fare compliance, the potential for a tiered or alternative fare structure as well as cost implications for Calgary Transit.
According to David Cooper, principal at Leading Mobility, free fare zones are “becoming more unique,” with many being eliminated in recent years across North America.
“There’s not many examples anymore of free transit,” Cooper told Global News. “I think one of the challenges we have when it comes to transit is there’s still always a cost even if it’s provided for free within the downtown.”
Cooper said there’s “a lot of emotional attachment” to the free fare zone, which has been around in Calgary since 1979, when it was a pilot project on a bus route along 7 Avenue.
“We’re going to have a lot of opinions and insights on this and who it impacts differs depending on who you ask it,” he said.
“I think it will be one of the biggest conversations council will have this year when it comes to Calgary Transit.”
The motion calls for administration to gather feedback from transit users, including downtown employees, residents, students and visitors, as well as city partners, like the Calgary Downtown Association, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Calgary and Vibrant Communities Calgary.
An amendment from Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly added the Alpha House to the lengthy list of stakeholders, while an amendment from Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot saw the inclusion of transit peace officers, bylaw officers and the Calgary Police Service in the upcoming engagement.
“We need to involve the enforcement folks as well… to find out whether or not they think there would be an advantage to the elimination of the free fare zone,” Chabot told reporters.
However, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said he isn’t in favour of eliminating the free fare zone, and has no concerns in doing due diligence with a review.
“Our free fare zone, if anything, I think it should be expanded,” Farkas told reporters. “We should be looking at ways, maybe even on game day, extending service to our new event centre, or even during (The Calgary Stampede) or cultural festivals and events.”
City administration’s review comes at the same time Calgary Transit is undertaking its own customer feedback survey on the free fare zone until March 8.
“We weren’t planning on coming up with alternatives to the free fare zone yet, but we wanted to have a sense of how it’s being used and why,” Calgary Transit director Sharon Fleming told city council.
The downtown free fare zone runs along the CTrain line along 7 Avenue between Downtown West/Kerby and City Hall/Bow Valley College stations.
City administration is expected to come back to council ahead of the summer with recommendations and “potential implementation pathways” for council to consider.
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