TD Bank has decided to terminate its sponsorship of the free fare zone between the City Hall and Downtown West/Kerby CTrain stations in Calgary’s downtown core ahead of schedule. Despite this, the mayor assures that the zone itself will not be discontinued.
According to a TD Bank spokesperson in a statement to CBC News, the decision to end the sponsorship agreement with the City of Calgary was made after a thorough review of their sponsorship commitments to ensure alignment with their evolving priorities and value delivery. The bank was in the third year of a five-year agreement with Calgary Transit for the branded ‘TD Free Fare Zone,’ which had been in existence prior to the sponsorship deal.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas expressed strong support for maintaining the free fare zone, emphasizing its success. He emphasized the importance of free travel on Seventh Avenue via LRT, especially in the context of developing downtown as transit-oriented. Farkas emphasized the necessity of upholding the free fare zone.
The City of Calgary had previously explored monetizing the zone in 2021, aiming to offset the operational costs of the free fare zone through partnerships. Farkas highlighted the importance of generating additional revenue without increasing the tax burden on taxpayers, emphasizing the significance of securing additional sponsorships.
Meanwhile, Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot advocated for the elimination of the program, citing concerns about increased social disorder. Chabot criticized Calgary Transit’s policy of free fares for children under 12, attributing it to safety issues on public transit. He proposed discontinuing the program as a cost-saving measure that could potentially improve fare compliance.