Calgary Transit Seeks Additional $14 Million for 2026 Budget

Calgary Transit is requesting an additional $14 million in ongoing operating funding as it faces continued financial pressures while aiming to enhance service levels. Director Sharon Fleming presented the agency’s budget needs during the fifth day of the City of Calgary’s deliberations for the 2026 budget on Friday. The proposed net operating budget will rise from $391 million to $417 million, while capital costs will increase from $217 million to $306 million.

The requested funds are crucial to support the RouteAhead strategy, which aims to improve transit service frequency to a target of 10-minute intervals, operating 15 hours a day, seven days a week on Calgary’s primary transit network. In total, the agency is seeking an additional $26 million year-over-year to meet its objectives. “This budget is a good first step in achieving our 10-year plan to meet the fast and frequent service that Calgarians are asking for,” Fleming stated.

Despite the budget increase, Fleming highlighted that the funding for 2026 will not adequately address the capital requirements to enhance the frequency of Calgary Transit’s “base” network, which consists of local community bus routes. Furthermore, the upcoming budget does not include the necessary $45 million needed to procure enough buses to reach the desired service level targets. “We’re hopeful that future budgets do include bus acquisition,” she remarked, noting the challenges of expanding service without additional vehicles.

In a previous council meeting in May, Fleming outlined that the city would need to allocate an extra $15 million annually for operating costs and $45 million each year for capital expenditures over the next decade to meet RouteAhead targets. Among the significant capital projects facing the agency in the coming years are plans for a new $500 million bus maintenance and storage facility to replace the existing bus barn in Victoria Park, as well as construction of the Green Line LRT.

“Transit is currently facing a significant funding gap as we move to a city of two million, on both the operating and capital side of the ledger,” Fleming said. As Calgary continues to grow, the need for sustainable transit solutions becomes increasingly critical. The outcome of the ongoing budget discussions will be pivotal in determining the future of Calgary’s transit services and their ability to meet the demands of the community.