Calgary Transit’s downtown free fare zone could be reviewed, reformed by council

The future of Calgary's free-fare transit zone in the downtown, around since the late 1970s, will be subject to debate again by city council.

Two city councillors are hoping to see potential changes to the fare free transit zone in downtown Calgary to improve safety concerns and fare evasion.

A notice of motion, expected to be presented to council on Tuesday, is being cosponsored by Ward 3 and Ward 6 councillors Andrew Yule and John Pantazopoulos.

“In talking with the transit department, they were already working on a fare strategy,” said Yule.

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“This potentially could work into the work plans that they’re already conducting, so we can get a little bit more fulsome information about this free fair zone.”

The motion calls for city administration to undertake a comprehensive review of the downtown Calgary Transit free fare zone, pointing to a shifting urban landscape, safety concerns and the loss of a major corporate sponsor.

TD Bank ended its sponsorship of the free fare zone in November 2025, just three years into its five-year agreement, leaving a financial gap in the program’s sustainability.

Yule says that this motion was sparked by budget deliberations last fall.

He says he wants to know what the impacts are of reforming or potentially eliminating the zone, which currently allows passengers to ride the CTrain for free between City Hall and Eighth Street S.W.

“We want to look at all avenues of what we’re doing, what we’re subsidizing in our transit system and how we can do better,” Yule said.

He says the city’s new council is looking at “fare evasion” and whether it’s a widespread problem.

Many major cities use turnstiles, compared the “open” system in Calgary that relies on proof-of-payment.

The motion is asking city staff to look at the financial implications of establishing downtown as a fare paid zone, by studying any projected changes in fare revenue, the cost of increased enforcement and the feasibility of a tiered-fare structure.

“If we are going to subsidize our transit in any way, we need to be intentional about what we’re subsidizing,” said Yule.

“The place that I would like to focus our subsidies would be on our low-income transit passes. That’s where the most vulnerable need a subsidized transit system.”

The motion also looks at stakeholder consultation with the Calgary Downtown Association, Tourism Calgary, the Chamber of Commerce and post-secondary students.

The city has operated the fare free zone since 1979, first with busses then with the CTrain. It’s a 2.5km stretch where fares are never needed.

If council votes in favour of the motion, city administration must report back with its findings and a list of alternatives by the end of June.