Calgary Transit strategy to improve safety heading to council for approval

Calgary’s Transit Safety Strategy plan that aims to improve rider confidence and security is on its way to city council for approval after it got the green light Monday.

The Community Development Committee voted unanimously for the strategy, and it will now be viewed by city councillors later in October.

The strategy plans to cover increased visibility of response teams and peace officers, enhanced cleaning, improved infrastructure design, and new community programming.

Addressing social disorder on Transit stations is a “high priority” for the city, along with ensuring there is a compassion-first approach to addressing the issue.

“Through a people-first approach, Calgarians experiencing vulnerabilities on and around the Transit system will be connected to supportive resources,” the committee’s report reads. “The strategy is committed to ensuring transit is used for its intended purpose of getting Calgarians where they need to be.”

Three safety hubs would be created in Westbrook, Downtown, and Whitehorn, and will deploy an “integrated team of officers.” Those include Calgary police, Transit Peace officers, security guards, and community outreach teams.

Two other hubs are listed for future development in Dalhousie and Anderson, which could be ready by December.

Council allocated around $5.9 million in July 2022 as emergency funding for additional peace officers, security guards, and technology improvements. In addition, $8.7 million was approved in June 2023 for enhanced cleaning, more peace officers and community outreach workers, and infrastructure improvements and partner patrols.

The Calgary Alpha House Society, Drop-In Centre, Calgary Homeless Foundation, and the Calgary police force will be joining forces with the city to “explore new approaches to prevention and intervention within the
community” and to connect people experiencing vulnerabilities with the resources they need.

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This is the latest effort from the city to improve safety at Calgary Transit stations. It follows multiple violent incidents in Calgary earlier in the year.

According to the Calgary Foundation Quality of Life report, Calgarians’ feelings about safety have gotten worse — with 80 percent saying they are concerned about it, a jump of nearly 20 per cent compared to just two years ago.

Councillors will take a look at the strategy again on Oct. 17.

-With files from Logan Stein