News   Apr 03, 2020
From the Editor: A Message to Our Readers
 7.4K     3 
News   Apr 02, 2020
Topping Off March 2020: What's Hot on SkyriseEdmonton
 7.9K     0 
News   Apr 02, 2020
News Roundup for April 2, 2020
 2.6K     0 

Alberta Politics

WTF - is there a replacement program?
---

Amarjeet Sohi
(He/Him) • 1st

Mayor of Edmonton. Together, we’ll build an Edmonton for all of us.Mayor of Edmonton. Together, we’ll build an Edmonton for all of us.
8m • 8 minutes ago

We were informed today that the Government of Alberta is discontinuing funding their portion of the Low Income Transit Pass program in Edmonton and Calgary. Each month, this program is accessed by over 25,000 low-income Edmontonians, Students, and Seniors who require public transit access to get to work, school, medical appointments and other services.

Defunding this program will make living more expensive for 25,000 Edmontonians.

At a time when Edmontonians are struggling to afford their basic needs and demand for this program has increased 150 per cent since 2016, the decision to defund this program in Edmonton and Calgary shows that the Province’s priorities are in the wrong place.

Originally set as a three-year pilot program in 2017, this program has been incredibly successful, with evaluations showing that it reduced stress, removed barriers to transportation and reduced social isolation for program participants. Over 250,000 Ride Transit Program passes were sold in 2023, an increase of approximately 20 percent from 2019.
 
IanO said:
WTF - is there a replacement program?
---

Amarjeet Sohi
(He/Him) • 1st

Mayor of Edmonton. Together, we’ll build an Edmonton for all of us.Mayor of Edmonton. Together, we’ll build an Edmonton for all of us.
8m • 8 minutes ago

We were informed today that the Government of Alberta is discontinuing funding their portion of the Low Income Transit Pass program in Edmonton and Calgary. Each month, this program is accessed by over 25,000 low-income Edmontonians, Students, and Seniors who require public transit access to get to work, school, medical appointments and other services.

Defunding this program will make living more expensive for 25,000 Edmontonians.

At a time when Edmontonians are struggling to afford their basic needs and demand for this program has increased 150 per cent since 2016, the decision to defund this program in Edmonton and Calgary shows that the Province’s priorities are in the wrong place.

Originally set as a three-year pilot program in 2017, this program has been incredibly successful, with evaluations showing that it reduced stress, removed barriers to transportation and reduced social isolation for program participants. Over 250,000 Ride Transit Program passes were sold in 2023, an increase of approximately 20 percent from 2019.
Click to expand...
I mean I would welcome a replacement program. Ride Transit is a horrifically administered program. Running it through Recreation instead of ETS directly was a lazy and stupid way to design it.

That being said, no way is there a replacement program coming. I hope Sohi is successful in shaming the province to continue funding it. Or else we are looking at yet another property tax increase.
 
SarcasticMarmot said:
I mean I would welcome a replacement program. Ride Transit is a horrifically administered program. Running it through Recreation instead of ETS directly was a lazy and stupid way to design it.

That being said, no way is there a replacement program coming. I hope Sohi is successful in shaming the province to continue funding it. Or else we are looking at yet another property tax increase.
Click to expand...
Do they want Sohi to win re-election? Because if they keep pulling all this and he keeps being more vocal, that's going to be his (and by extension a large chunk of council's) path forward on this.
 
She thinks throngs of conservatives are chomping to rallies and elections. Where are they? I see no one left holding her coattails!
 
Gus Haynes said:
Even Keith Gerein is seeing the pattern:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1785407817844756563
Click to expand...
If they keep this up they'll give this mayor and council a plank for re-election. I get that their focus is probably getting rid of Gondek and a chunk of Calgary's city council, but I would laugh and cackle if this whole shtick backfired on them. Aside from UCP diehards, a lot of people saw this for what it is (which is refreshing for once).
 
A high speed rail link would most benefit our future-million-person-populated city of Red Deer, driving growth to a more cooperative municipality.
 
Whattagame said:
A high speed rail link would most benefit our future-million-person-populated city of Red Deer, driving growth to a more cooperative municipality.
Click to expand...
Haha! That's right! I never thought of that! That the whole reasoning behind this multi-Billion dollar train that NOBODY EVER will take is to get Red Deer's population to that unicorn-esque number of 1 MILLION inbred-Trump-esque-UCP Voters!
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top