Those approved for bus pass Fee Assistance will have two thirds of their bus pass cost covered.(Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

City of Lethbridge expands Fee Assistance Program

May 23, 2023 | 2:47 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB –The City of Lethbridge has expanded its Fee Assistance Program to include recreation and culture activities, as well as bus passes.

City Council’s decision to build on the already existing program was made in 2022’s Operating Budget deliberations. An additional $200,000 was added to the budget annually to support subsidized bus passes for both refugees and low-income residents.

Those approved for bus pass fee assistance will have two thirds of their bus pass cost covered. Riders will pay for a one-month pass and then get two more months paid for through the program. Starting in August 2023, Access A Ride users will also be able to access the two-thirds Fee Assistance subsidization.

Councillor Belinda Crowson said, “We saw great uptake of the refugee bus pass program and we wanted to make sure that became a resource for not just newcomers to our community but anyone who might have financial difficulty accessing transit.”

The program was introduced in 2015 to provide low-income individuals and families with access to recreation and cultural programing in Lethbridge. According to a release from the city, a total of 706 applications resulted in 1,615 Lethbridge residents receiving assistance from January 1 to October 31, 2022.

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Community Social Development General Manager for the City of Lethbridge Andrew Malcolm said, “We’ve known that transportation costs, even on non-city transit, has been a barrier for individuals to access programs, but also to access employment. Through the operating budget, council directed administration to add this program to look at continuing that subsidization for refugees, but also adding low-income individuals in our community.”

Anyone looking to access the Fee Assistance Program can find out about qualifications and apply on the city’s website.

READ MORE: City of Lethbridge to provide free bus passes for refugees