New framework to strengthen regional transit collaboration
January 18, 2024

Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) from municipalities in the Edmonton Metro Region have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a new, collaborative framework intended to improve regional transit services.

“This marks an important step forward for growing and improving transit service across the Edmonton Metro Region,” said Darrell Reid, CAO for Strathcona County and Chair of the Regional Transit CAO Roundtable. “There are tremendous opportunities to permanently transform our transit network, and coming together in this way opens the door to bettering the lives of every transit rider.”

Signatories to the MOU included the City of Beaumont, Town of Devon, City of Edmonton, City of Fort Saskatchewan, City of Leduc, Leduc County, Parkland County, City of Spruce Grove, City of St. Albert, Town of Stony Plain and Strathcona County.

Collaboration to improve regional transit is built upon established positive working relationships, existing agreements between regional transit providers and a history of collaboration and mutual support. In contrast to previous attempts to grow the regional transit network, the MOU outlined the following principles:
Municipalities retain sole control of their assets and workforce.
Municipalities retain sole control of their public transit service decisions.
Municipalities have mutual respect for each others’ values, policies, areas of expertise and jurisdictions.
Municipalities will continue to seek to make efficient use of existing resources.
The CAO of each municipality will be responsible for achieving the desired level of collaboration.

Municipal CAOs, as well as local transit leaders, will have regular meetings to discuss needs, look for efficiencies and keep lines of communication open.

“Regional transit collaboration will identify opportunities to provide better connections, better use existing services and make no-cost adjustments to existing services which improve the rider experience," said Wade Coombs, Transit Director for Strathcona County. “The Edmonton Metro Region is growing and regional transit collaboration provides a venue to identify and prioritize service gaps. Each municipality can look at possibilities for sub-regional agreements to improve connectivity where riders need it most.”

Some recent examples of how this collaboration has worked include:
Strathcona County Transit stopping in Edmonton’s Cloverdale neighbourhood.
Sharing of Naki Transit Centre in St. Albert for special events service.
Beaumont transit providing service to Mill Woods Transit Centre.

“The City of Edmonton believes this collaborative approach will help better connect riders to their destinations throughout the region,” said Andre Corbould, Edmonton City Manager. “By working together, we can enable the development of a convenient, reliable and seamless regional transit experience, which will further support mobility, ridership growth and economic investment across the Edmonton Metro Region.”


Media contact:
Adam Holm
Manager, Public Communications & Engagement
Strathcona County
587-357-2945

Adrienne Cloutier
Senior Communications Advisor
Edmonton Transit Service
City of Edmonton
780-691-4347

^
Municipalities retain sole control of their assets and workforce.
Municipalities retain sole control of their public transit service decisions.
Municipalities have mutual respect for each others’ values, policies, areas of expertise and jurisdictions.
Municipalities will continue to seek to make efficient use of existing resources.
The CAO of each municipality will be responsible for achieving the desired level of collaboration.

Is this going to work?

No central administrative body?

^ Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that a central administrative body proved to be costly overhead that killed the last regional transit collaboration.

It basically reaffirms the status quo. If, say, Strathcona County's "desired level of collaboration" is zero, then other municipalities have to "respect its values, policies, areas of expertise and jurisdictions", since they "retain sole control of their assets, workforce, and public transit service decisions".

"Municipalities will continue to seek to make efficient use of existing resources.The CAO of each municipality will be responsible for achieving the desired level of collaboration."

What the Hell does this mean lol.

Sooooo....same ole same ole. What a complete Gong show. We have NO leaders right now.

You've just summarized everything wrong with the Metro region. Any hillbilly with a hamlet can kneecap it. The last annexation toward the airport was pure comedy gold. :(

ARC tap card update:

As you recall, the cold snap made my ARC card unreadable. Nothing but blue lights tapping on or tapping off.

Since then I've used transit twice and each time I tapped on there was nothing but blue lights even though it's not cold. Each time the operator waved me inside. I haven't been charged for any rides on public transit since January 14 2024.

There is nothing in their FAQ about tap cards that don't work due to the cold or have somehow been disabled due to the cold.

I guess I'll never have to pay for a ride again. :shrug:

Some photos of the new (secluded) NAIT/Blatchford Market LRT station.

Looks great, but they really need to accelerate development of things around this spot.
https://cdn.skyrisecities.com/forum/...5-jpeg.534357/

https://cdn.skyrisecities.com/forum/...2-jpeg.534353/

https://cdn.skyrisecities.com/forum/...6-jpeg.534355/
photos - Dkazzed on SRC
https://edmonton.skyrisecities.com/f....24104/page-51

Correct. The UCP government is inept. The Municipal Government Act is their responsibility.

You did everything correctly and received free rides regardless? I would be quite happy with that haha

This^

The amount of people who don't understand that muncipalities are beholden to the provinces in so many ways under our Constitution is mindboggling.

That photo is somewhat ironic in that it is an "urban" low-floor LRT station in what looks like the middle of a farmer's field.

The army barracks being there really interrupts that area. Would be good to see that close one day.

I was quite confused with the name Market on the side of the station. Now I know why: a huge farmers market? :shrug:

Does anyone know if any stats of been released on the ridership levels of the Valley Line?

Curious to know if it has been successful in reducing traffic at all?

It was some City employee playing visionary. Onl time will tell if the retail buildings get constructed and whether there is a large grocery or series of small shops. A small open air community market might be great for people living in the area and attract other people to buy/rent.

There is to be a 'market square' next to the LRT station as a hub of density and activity in Blatchford.

I will vote for the UCP any day of the week. The liberal socialist city council needs to go. Don't get it twisted.

"I will always vote team blue cause that's the way I've always done it"

Black star probably couldn't even define what it means to be a liberal or a socialist, he's just been groomed to hate them, cause, berta!

In our province you never vote for someone - you vote against someone.

Lesser of two evils.