Riders of Airdrie Transit won’t see transit fares increase in 2017, thanks to a recommendation from staff which as unanimously endorsed by City council June 6.
Transit Co-ordinator Chris MacIsaac said his department had looked at the fares paid in comparable municipalities, council’s priorities and the ability of residents to pay when reviewing fares.
MacIsaac said the impact of the economic downturn on the community was considered as it is, “one of the factors that impact the ability to pay at the local level.”
The single ticket fare for local bus service will remain at $2.25 and a booklet of 10 tickets will remain at $20. Adult monthly passes remain at $65 while student and senior monthly passes remain at $47.50.
Fares for Inter City Express (ICE) bus routes will also remain at 2016 levels for 2017. Fare information is available on airdrie.ca
Council was presented with an update of its strategic priorities by Dorian Kachur, business strategy team leader.
According to Kachur, a number of factors were impacting those strategic priorities, including the downturn in the economy, a need to support residents who are suffering job losses, new governments at both the federal and provincial levels and changes at the regional governance level.
“In those areas, council decided to create one new focus area – the environment. Under well-managed growth, (it) added an action of working with regional neighbours on future growth strategies,” she said. “Under economic prosperity, (it added) investigating the potential for a business incubator project and under the environment, (was added) to provide direction on providing a curbside recycling approach and to educate and implement water conservation initiatives.”
Councillor Kelly Hegg noted council had discussed the updates to the strategic priorities previously before council accepted the report for information.
In response to a request from Councillor Candice Kolson at the May 2 meeting that council revisit its Code of Conduct, Manager of Legislative Services Sharon Pollyck provided information about the existing document and anticipated changes to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) at the June 6 meeting.
The current Code of Conduct was last reviewed in July 2015 at which time Council voted to hold off on making changes until a review of the MGA was released.
“If you decide to amend your Code of Conduct it would require a bylaw amendment,” Pollyck said. “At this point, council has a number of options. You could choose to maintain the status quo and not amend the Code of Conduct and see what happens with the MGA review. We’re not quite sure where Code of Conduct stands (in the MGA).”
Pollyck said council could also choose to amend the existing Code of Conduct and not wait for the review of the MGA to be complete. She recommended council take time to discuss the issue at one of their informal workshops, typically held the fourth Monday of the month, rather than during the June 6 council meeting.
“We need to talk more about it at least amongst ourselves before we talk about it in a more public area,” Hegg said. “I think that’s what we should do.”
Council unanimously approved a motion to move the discussion to an upcoming informal workshop and directed staff to provide examples of codes of conduct from other municipalities prior to that workshop. Council’s informal workshops are open to the public. The date the Code of Conduct will be discussed has yet to be determined, according to Pollyck.
