Edmonton mulls transit fare gates, critics say it won't improve safety or fare evasion

Edmonton is considering a pilot project that would see transit fare gates put in place at two LRT stations in order to reduce fare evasion.

The gates would require transit riders to provide fare payment before being able to access areas of the stations, including the platform.

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Other cities in Canada, including Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, have fare gates as part of the transit system.

Currently, the LRT system in Edmonton is considered an open fare system, where riders only need to provide proof of fare payment when random inspections are done by transit peace officers (TPOs).

"I get a lot of feedback that fare gates would help people feel more safe and secure on the system, particularly on the LRT system," ward pihêsiwin Coun. Tim Cartmell said.

City administration developed a plan for a two year pilot project for fare gates at the Churchill and Belvedere stations.

The goal of the project would be to increase safety for transit users and reduce fare evasion, increasing the amount of money the city brings in from transit usage.

The gates, along with simple and convenient payment options, have been shown to reduce fare evasion, as it is often seen as a crime of opportunity, according to a report from city administration.

"Fare gates may not be the panacea that some think they are, but we had a pretty robust conversation around how we improve the perception of safety and security on the LRT system," Cartmell said.

The report also stated that, "while fare gates can enhance perceptions of safety, other measures, such as increased safety and security staffing, may achieve similar results."

The cost for the pilot project, including implementation and operation, is estimated around $7.2 million.

"You don't want to spend too much money on it, on a solution that far exceeds the revenue that you would receive from doing the enforcement in the first place," ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz said. "There has to be a balance."

"Because our transit system, our LRT system platforms, are designed to be open and accessible, and they are not confined places, it's very difficult to implement fare gates that are effective and cost effective," added Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.

At the Urban Planning Committee meeting Tuesday, councillors and the mayor heard from the Edmonton transit union and riders that more security, including additional TPOs, is needed.

"Other (cities) have tried fare gates many, many times, and the reports are very consistent that really it doesn't affect fares significantly, and it doesn't affect disorder significantly," Steve Bradshaw, the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569, said.

"What we're saying, and administration in fact has said to council is that they need another 45 trained transit peace officers to be able to do the job properly."

Edmonton transit is also not getting proper support for its operating budget from other levels of government, Bradshaw added.

"More training and more authority for transit peace officers does not require financial resources, these are the powers that need to be given by the province," Sohi said.

"The training can be managed with an existing training budget. As far as hiring more transit police officers, that's the conversation that we would have to have some time in the future."

The city's financial situation is "pretty tight," Sohi added. Edmonton has added resources to the LRT system, including 25 new TPOs.

"We are seeing incremental improvement in the safety of the public transit system, but we will continue to implement things that are proven to be effective," Sohi said.

The proposal will be back before city council for further discussion.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti