Calgary transit fares going up to $4 — more than riders pay in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver

Come January, transit riders in Calgary will have to shell out $4 for a single-ride ticket, a fare that remains higher than other major cities, including Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto.

Fares, which are currently $3.80, already rank on the higher end, and will only be surpassed by a few regions once city council's recently approved hike comes into effect.

Monthly bus passes are also going up, to $126 from $118. In that respect, Calgary ranks below some other major cities. In Toronto, a monthly bus pass costs $156.

"It's always frustrating when the fare goes up. That can impact the way that we budget our month, our time and our energy," said Alex Williams, chair of advocacy group Calgary Transit Riders.

Allan Thacker, who takes transit regularly to get around the city, already found fares to be pricey and said the increase will make it "substantially more expensive."

"One ticket isn't much, but when you factor in buying a book of 10 tickets, that can be $40, so it can stack up a lot over time," said Thacker.

Calgary's mayor voted against the hike. He acknowledged many in the city are not satisfied with the level of service they are getting.

"When it comes to transit … it’s clear that Calgarians have told us that we need to do better," said Jeromy Farkas.

Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark also said the fare hike does not sit well with him.

"We went to such great lengths to lower the property tax rate for the average homeowner," Clark told CBC Radio's Calgary Eyeopener.

"And then the next thing we did was raise the cost to take the bus."

Both Clark and Farkas said they hope to see a return on investment, with increased revenues going directly into improving transit service and safety.

Council approved $6 million this week to improve transit service.

"While details aren’t yet finalized, this boost gives us the ability to invest in service throughout the city. This will include adjustments to service frequency and span that will improve reliability, coverage, and connections for Calgarians," Calgary Transit said in a statement.

Another $9 million was earmarked for safety improvements, at a time when violence aboard transit has become an increasing concern.

Spreading the funds over a sprawling city

Williams understands Calgary's urban sprawl can in some ways make it more difficult to fund transit compared to other cities.

"What that means is that our dollar doesn't go quite as far to making sure that each of those services is really a high-quality service," he said.

The goal of Calgary Transit's Route Ahead blueprint is to have service every 10 minutes, 15 hours a day, seven days a week, across the primary transit network.

"We are way behind. We are very much falling short of our goals in Route Ahead," said Williams.

In speaking before council during budget consultations, Calgary Transit director Sharon Fleming said funding the primary transit network to meet expectations will cost $150 million over the next decade. It would cost about the same to ensure service every half-hour to neighbourhoods farther outside the core, she said.

She said it's a push-pull of funding those higher frequency areas, while not neglecting other riders who live farther out.

"What we're doing is trying to spread as much service around the city with the limited funds that we do have today," said Fleming.

Williams points to municipalities like Montreal, where tiered fare zones mean those farther from the island will pay more. He wouldn't want to see that replicated in Calgary.

Express routes ending

The city is also phasing out the remaining express routes that transport passengers to and from downtown during the morning and evening rush hours.

Over the next two years, eight express buses will be discontinued: 62, 64, 70, 109, 116, 117, 131, 142 and 151.

"The cost of running these limited routes is high compared to regular routes, and the routes present a less efficient use of our resources," Calgary Transit said in a statement.

The No. 70 bus will end on Dec. 22. Hesam Ghadirijavan has started a petition to save it.

He said in an email that while an alternate bus exists, "using that route would extend a typical commute to over two hours each way, making it unmanageable for working individuals and families."

Williams said he has heard from many transit riders frustrated by the cancellation of the express routes and the time it will tack onto their commutes.

"Transit in a city is a necessity. It's not a nice-to-have; it's not a convenience," Williams said.

He's put out an open invitation to councillors to ride transit alongside his group and see firsthand the realities of taking it daily, especially in the winter.