City of Calgary working to increase safety on transit, more enforcement officers being deployed

Safety on transit in Calgary has been in the spotlight for some time now as more and more riders share stories of scary experiences while commuting across the city.

Those safety concerns were highlighted late last year when a series of incidents took place at CTrain stations across Calgary’s downtown core, Marlborough Station in the northeast and Lion’s Park Station in the northwest.

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On Monday, the city announced plans to increase safety on transit as more Calgarians prepare to head back to the office.

“Like other major cities in North America, Calgary has experienced an increase in social disorder on the transit system during the pandemic,” said Calgary Transit Director Sharon Fleming. “Though we have taken various measures to improve system safety over the past two years, we have heard clearly from citizens that there is more to do. This plan is intended to support a safer experience for all of our riders.”

The City says, as of Monday, more Transit Peace Officers, Bylaw Officers, uniformed security guards and Calgary police members can be seen across the transit system with their presence increasing throughout the week.

WATCH: CityNews’ Jasmine Vickaryous reports on some Calgarians feeling unsafe while taking transit in the city. 

Then, beginning Tuesday, ambassadors will be deployed at some entrances asking riders to show their proof of fare payment. These measures will remain in place for several weeks as more people return to the office.

In a release, the City says it recognizes the root causes of social disorder go far beyond the transit system and addressing these issues will mean ongoing support from many sectors.

“While we take steps to address rider safety concerns, we remain mindful of the needs of Calgarians who are experiencing vulnerability,” said Fleming.

“As we have throughout the pandemic, we will continue to work with community partners from the Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership (DOAP) Team, grassroots outreach teams and emergency shelter providers to help those in need access support services.”