Mayor Farkas Pushes Council to Keep CTrain Free Fare Zone
Calgary's mayor is asking residents to contact councillors before next week's debate on eliminating the downtown transit benefit.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas isn't staying quiet on a transit issue that affects thousands of commuters daily: he wants the Free Fare Zone to stick around.
The zone—which eliminates fares for anyone riding the CTrain downtown—is under threat. City council is set to debate eliminating it next week, and Farkas is making it clear he thinks that's the wrong move. He's not just voicing an opinion in closed-door meetings either; he's asking Calgarians to contact their councillors directly and make their voices heard.
Farkas rode the train Wednesday and used the moment to reinforce his position publicly. The message is simple: this benefit matters to the city, and the people who rely on it should have a say before it gets axed.
The Free Fare Zone has been a unique Calgary perk—it's kept downtown transit accessible and encouraged people to move around the core without worrying about ticket costs. Removing it would shift costs onto riders and potentially reduce downtown foot traffic, which could have ripple effects on local businesses and public space usage.
The council vote is coming soon, so if you care about this issue, now's the time to let your representative know where you stand. Farkas clearly thinks public pressure matters—and he's probably right.