Calgarians will likely have to dig deeper in 2026 to ride Calgary Transit, though the downtown free fare zone and free transit for youth survived the chopping block.
The decisions were made as an amendment during the lengthy Calgary city budget deliberations, which haven’t yet concluded – after beginning Nov. 24.
If the entire budget document is approved, likely Dec. 2, it will mean Calgary Transit riders will pay a single ticket adult fare of $4. There was already a $.10 hike approved for 2026, but that was doubled to $.20 per adult ticket.
The price of an adult single-ride ticket will go from $3.80 to $4. Prices will go up for all pricing categories, including the three bands of the city’s Low Income Transit Pass, except for the Youth Ticket book, which, for some reason, will increase by only half of the original 2026 proposed increase. See the table below for full approved fare details for 2026.
Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot referenced a previous city study on the elasticity of Calgary Transit fares.
“In fact, the evidence showed that increasing fares actually increases ridership. Seems counterintuitive, but as long as you provided a service in conjunction with that increased fare, it actually resulted in increased ridership,” he said.
“So, yes, it is an increase in fares. But then we can look at how we can increase safety, security, cleanliness, something to provide some sort of increased level of service to justify the increase, or maybe increased frequency.”
According to transit officials, the increase will generate an additional $4 million in Calgary Transit revenue.
The decision would put Calgary transit fares among the top one-third in Canada, according to a recent analysis done by CTV Ottawa in conjunction with that city’s budget deliberations.
In the last budget, Chabot attempted to rescind a 2023 freeze that would have seen the transit fare increase to $3.90 by 2025. This would make up for that freeze moving into 2026.
Fare review is underway
The elimination of the free fare zone in the downtown and removal of free fares for youth under 12 barely survived, with each defeated in 7-8 votes.
Last week, LWC was first to report that the TD Bank Group had pulled its sponsorship from the downtown free fare zone, and that Calgary Transit was surveying riders about their thoughts on the free fare zone.
Calgary Transit said that it was part of an overarching fare strategy review.
With the push to cut these programs, many councillors said it would hit those who rely on Calgary Transit the most.
Ward 8 Coun. Nathan Schmidt said that taking these steps for transit after council had already approved amendments reducing Calgary’s property tax rate was eliminating any net benefit for those Calgarians.
“The real narrative here is that we are not funding transit effectively, because if our solution is cutting these beneficial programs, then that is not a solution,” he said.
“This is just a way to make transit less accessible for fewer people, because we have not put in enough money to support transit operators, to support routes and to support safety downtown.”
Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark said that he thought $4 was a pretty expensive ride.
“We’ve gone to great efforts to lower the property tax rate; great savings to the Calgarians everywhere. We sure hope that renters receive the benefits on behalf of their landlords, that those are passed on,” he said.
“We’re cutting away access points for the poorest Calgarians in the city. When we start making these moves, we’re cutting away at mental health, now we’re going to cut away a transit and I just find it very confusing.”
Mayor Farkas asked Operational Services GM Doug Morgan about the sensitivity that customers might have to this level of rate increase.
“I have to be honest with council, it’s a very painful thing for the community. Even small fare increases,” he said.
This will be a part of the full budget document once council gets through all of the additional amendments.
