Calgary Transit: Councillor Pushes for Fare Relief Amid Delays

CALGARY, AB — Ward 12 Councillor Mike Jamieson is pushing City Hall to stop charging transit riders twice when Calgary's own buses run late.

The motion, dropped today, directs Calgary Transit to extend its transfer window from 90 minutes to two hours—a direct response to complaints from Ward 12 residents who've been dinged with double fares after missing connections because their bus didn't show up on time.

"This is what I've heard from residents who've had to pay twice for a single trip because their bus was late or they simply missed a connection," Jamieson posted this morning.

The Friction: Riders Pay for Transit's Punctuality Problem

Here's the rub: Calgary Transit's on-time performance has been sliding backward. The system clocked in at 87.7% punctuality in 2022. By 2024, that dropped to 84.4%—well below the 90% target set for this year. When buses run late, riders scramble. Miss your connection by three minutes, and under the current 90-minute window, you're swiping your card again.

Alex Williams, acting chair of the Calgary Transit Riders advocacy group, backs the extension. The group argues a 120-minute window improves affordability, flexibility, and equity—especially for lower-income riders already stretched thin by January's fare hikes.

The Money: A $33-Million Hole and Fresh Fare Increases

Calgary Transit is staring down a projected $33-million revenue shortfall in 2025, driven partly by the escalating costs of the low-income transit pass. Last December, City Council approved fare increases that took effect January 1, 2026: a single adult ride now costs $4, and a monthly pass runs $126. Those hikes are expected to generate an additional $4 million annually.

Now Jamieson's motion asks Calgary Transit administration to report back by April 27, 2026, with a full breakdown of what a 30-minute extension would actually cost—or save—in ridership and revenue terms. The system's 2026 operating budget sits at $577 million total, with a net operating cost of $417 million and roughly $180 million in revenue.

What Happens Next

The motion will land at the Priorities and Finance Committee for a technical review before advancing to a full City Council vote. Jamieson, who won his Ward 12 seat in October 2025 by just 29 votes after a recount, is betting that accountability for late buses matters more than protecting revenue from accidental double fares.

The vote timeline and full financial impact assessment are due by late April.