Calgary city councillors are considering a series of bylaw changes aimed at giving peace officers more enforcement power to address safety concerns on Calgary Transit. The proposed amendments to the Calgary Transit bylaw are intended to support transit operator and rider safety as part of the overall Public Transit Safety Strategy. These changes include better defining loitering, adding an offence for non-destination use of transit even with a paid fare, and giving peace officers the authority to request proof of age for people claiming to be 12 years of age or younger. Additionally, there would be an offence for harassment, threats, and intimidation of riders, staff, and transit operators, with a fine of up to $600.
The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 583 is in support of these proposed changes, as incidents involving operators have been ongoing. The union president, Mike Mahar, highlighted the safety concerns faced by operators, especially during fare collection. The City of Calgary implemented its transit safety strategy last year, which included increasing the number of peace officers on transit, integrating peace officers, police officers, and outreach teams for a coordinated response, and upgrades to stations. A survey from April 2024 found that 77% of Calgarians consider their personal safety when deciding to use public transit, and 74% feel safer riding a bus than a CTrain due to proximity to the driver.
There has been a positive impact on the perception of safety on the transit system due to the changes made over the past year or two. However, the proposed bylaw changes aim to ensure that the bylaw is up to date with the lived experience of enforcing the rules. Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean expressed satisfaction with the proposed changes but also suggested taking a second look at the installation of fare gates across the network. While fare gates were previously rejected due to the lack of correlation between fare gates and increased transit safety, McLean believes they could reduce crime and increase revenues. Another proposed amendment would remove existing time restrictions to allow bikes on CTrains at all times after a pilot project found minimal impacts on overcrowding during peak times.
The proposed bylaw changes will be presented to Calgary’s Community Development Committee, and if approved, they will go to city council for final approval later in the month. The changes are aimed at enhancing transit operator and rider safety, addressing issues such as loitering, non-destination use of transit, harassment, threats, and intimidation. These changes have received support from the ATU Local 583 and aim to improve the overall safety and experience of using Calgary Transit. The City of Calgary’s transit safety strategy has already shown positive results, and these proposed amendments seek to further enhance public safety and security while riding public transportation in the city.
