Article content

A religious leader who fought to keep subsidized transit prices for low-income commuters is disappointed to see a $2.50 convenience fee was introduced for all online pass purchases.

At the start of the new year, Calgary Transit launched an updated eStore which is meant to streamline the online purchase of passes. However, as people renewed their monthly tickets, they were charged an extra $2.50 for a convenience fee that didn’t exist before the eStore’s debut. The added fee may not be much for some, but for the city’s vulnerable, Rev. Anna Greenwood-Lee said, $2.50 per month could cost food on the table.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary Transit changing 'convenience fee' for online pass purchases Back to video

“Why do we continue to download fees onto the most vulnerable?” asked Greenwood-Lee, rector at St. Laurence Anglican Church. “It feels mean because the lowest income pass is only $5.45 a month, so it’s another big cost on top of that. We’ve fought to keep it that low because of how low their incomes are.”

The charge was introduced to cover shipping and administration associated with the online ordering system. Before Jan. 1, it was a cost that Calgary Transit ate but can no longer sustainably cover, said spokeswoman Amanda Bradley.

“We’ve made every effort to keep that cost as low as possible even though shipping costs increase,” said Bradley. “With the eStore, we have added some other conveniences to make it a little easier to buy it, even though there is that fee, and there is still the option of purchasing in person.”

The $2.50 charge is per order, so larger families don’t have to worry the fee will grow per person.

The online system increases the accessibility of transit passes for people with disabilities, which is another reason free online ordering was valuable, said Greenwood-Lee.

“Travelling downtown doesn’t make sense, especially because those lineups are notorious for being long. The city should be encouraging people to order online,” said Greenwood-Lee.