Calgary Transit budget boost to increase service in new communities

A last minute injection of money for Calgary Transit means new communities in the city will get bus service or expanded service in 2015.

City council voted to earmark $1.5 million in additional funds for transit as it finalized next year's budget Monday.

• Council votes for slightly reduced tax hike as budget debate wraps

The money will be used to start services in four new communities and increase the frequency of buses on some busy routes elsewhere in the city.

Coun. Shane Keating says for some new communities in his southeast ward — like Mahogany Bay — it means buses will run through the community rather than just provide service to its boundary.

"The only way out of Mahogany, if you don't go on that one bus, is by car and we have to change that," he said. 

"So this community will now get some expanded service,... And we also have to look at Mahogany. Eventually it'll be 30,000 people, so we have to get transit in there."

Calgary Transit says it will also provide an additional 20,000 hours of service next year with the extra money. The city estimates that 2.8 million hours of service will have been provided in 2014. 

Transit director Doug Morgan says some popular bus routes will see increased frequencies starting in the spring.

"Some mainline routes that use Centre Street will see that better peak capacity so the buses will come more often, thus making them less crowded," he said.

Transit growth also means more jobs, and the city expects 200 new positions will be added in the next four years.