Sliding Scale Transit Pass

On Wednesday I attended the The Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services at City Hall.

The Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services unanimously approved recommendations to implement a sliding scale for the low income transit pass for Calgarians with incomes below of 100% LICO. Additionally, the committee approved an amendment to Administration’s recommendations that could lead to a 95% subsidy rate off of the regular monthly transit pass for Calgarians who have incomes below 50% of LICO. 

Council Committee also expressed a desire to implement the full sliding scale (up to 130% of LICO) and approved a recommendation that Administration continue to seek funding opportunities to implement the full sliding scale.

What struck me the MOST during this meeting was Councillor Pootmans question of what happens to the people above the 100% LICO?

Well, what happens is this. You are no longer eligible for services. So you are now paying $99 a month for a bus pass to get to and from work. You no longer go to any Park and Recreation facility because you can no longer afford it. You are spending that money on transit fare now.

Or, you skip your morning breakfasts now. Because you are no longer eligible for the food bank, you cannot afford food in your stomach. Perhaps you are already iron deficient and your iron deficiency goes down further.

Your stress levels go up and your energy is low. You are isolated because you no longer take part in activities that you used to be able to do. You are skipping meals and/or not sleeping properly.

All of your energy is spent on getting to and from work, and maintaining and managing that employment. You can't go out and enjoy what used to be those social connections anymore.

Is there a higher chance of people falling back into the poverty line? YES. But getting people out of poverty is a fantastic starting point, and looking into helping people between the 100% to 130% line is ABSOLUTELY a must to help prevent them from falling back in to the LICO.

Councillor Carra made a very good point. Where are they advocates who fall above the LICO? Well, they're out at their jobs during council meetings. They don't have the time to take off work to attend. They are holding down 1, 2, 3, sometimes 4 jobs.

So my concern now is, how do I mobilize myself, and my community, to bring a voice for the people who fall just above the LICO? How do I make their voice heard?

I do want to thank the provincial government for the funds to be able to make this starting point work. Council for hearing the concerns of their citizens. Administration for bringing this forth to the Standing Policy Committe, and for the advocates that spoke at that meeting.

Now to go forward, in implementing this to our #yyc.