Calgary·Breaking
The provincial government won’t cut funding to low-income transit passes in Alberta’s two biggest cities. The news came after mayors and social advocates roundly criticized the decision.
Government says ‘it is clear that the cities are not able to pay for their full programs’
Alberta’s UCP government will not be cutting its share of funding for low-income transit passes in the province’s two largest cities, CBC News has confirmed.
The mayors of Calgary and Edmonton both raised the alarm on Tuesday about the funding cut, which could have jeopardized the future of the passes.
In a statement sent to CBC News on Wednesday morning, Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon’s office says that Alberta’s government “understands the need to support low-income Albertans.”
“Following conversations with the two largest cities, it is clear that the cities are not able to pay for their full programs at this time. As a result, Alberta’s government will continue to extend this funding to the cities and work with them to ensure their low-income transit program continues to be funded in the future.”
More to come…
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With files from Jason Markusoff