Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek speaks in Calgary on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. The mayors of Alberta's two biggest cities say the province has slashed about $12 million in funding meant to help low-income residents access public transit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
EDMOTNON, ALBERTA, CANADA – The mayors of Alberta’s two biggest cities say the province has pulled $12 million in funding meant to help low-income residents access public transit.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the move is an insult to Calgarians who are already struggling to get by.
The Calgary program works on a sliding scale with those most in need paying as little as $5.80 a month for a transit pass.
A regular adult monthly pass, by comparison, costs $115.
Gondek says the city saw more than 119,000 low-income passes issued in the first three months of this year to aid those living below the poverty line.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi says defunding the program will make life more expensive for 25,000 local residents every month, including students and seniors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.
[…] Source link […]