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Airdrie to receive $305,871 in government funding towards local transit

The Government of Alberta announced it would be providing funding in support of local transit systems to Airdrie and 25 other municipalities, during a press conference on April 13.

The Government of Alberta announced last week it would be providing funding in support of local transit systems to Airdrie and 25 other municipalities, during a press conference on April 13. 

Premier Jason Kenney and Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhney declared the government would be stepping up to provide some "much-needed" financial support to cash-strapped municipal transit systems that were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

According to a news release, City of Airdrie will be receiving $305,871 in financial support under a new program called the Alberta Relief for Shortfalls for Transit Operators (RESTOR) that seeks to provide a top-up to assist municipalities who have been burdened by the pandemic and subsequent low-ridership over the last few years. 

"Transit systems took a financial beating during the pandemic with a significant loss in ridership as people worked from home and businesses cut back on staff or completely shut down," said Kenney in the release. "This funding will keep buses and trains moving to meet increased demand as we recover from the pandemic." 

The Province is committing to $79.5 million in funding for Alberta municipalities to be matched by the federal government, for a total of approximately $159 million. 

According to Sawhney, public transit is an essential service and is particularly important to students returning to on-campus learning, as well as seniors and other vulnerable members of the public who are returning to in-person work and activities. 

"Alberta's government is proud to step up and recognizes how important transit services are to our communities," she said. 

As part of the funding, Rocky View County (including Crossfield, Irricana and Beiseker) will receive $18,609 to support the Rocky View Regional Handibus Society, and Cochrane will receive $15,269. Additional funding of $9.7 million is being set aside for smaller communities in the province who are facing transit revenue shortfalls.  

Randy Boissonnault, federal minister of tourism and associate minister of finance, said in the release that public transit is a connector for both people and communities helping them get where they need to be. 

"Whether it is to visit loved ones, to access essential services or to get home after a hard day at work," he said. "This investment helps strengthen our public transit as demand post-pandemic picks up, while helping to make life more affordable for Albertans."

After the announcement was made public, Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown said the investment in the municipality's transit system is a "huge" help following the low ridership brought

"We don't ever get operational dollars. We've always gotten capital support, but nothing operational," Brown said. "We're really appreciative because we would have had to look at cutting some services if we weren't able to see this extra $300,000.

"It's a huge help for us and [it's] very much appreciated."

According to Brown, the funding is going to be allocated towards covering the "significant" loss of revenue felt by the City in 2021-22. 

"The funds will help making us whole again – it's going to go back in to the deficit," he said. "Without that extended support, the possibility of service reductions would likely have been inevitable."

Additionally, he said he hopes the provincial and federal governments continue to recognize and support municipalities in their operational deficits moving forward. 

"We very much appreciate their capital support, but many other provinces and jurisdictions support municipalities in some of their operating deficits, so I hope that [MLAs] Angela Pitt and Peter Guthrie are looking at ways to support transit operational dollar deficits into the future," he said. 

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