Sustainable Funding Tools

Edmonton Transit Service

 

Leading Mobility oversaw the development of Sustainable Funding Tools for Edmonton Transit Service, a report providing detailed qualitative analysis of ten revenue tools and their potential to bolster capital and operating funding for Edmonton Transit Service (ETS). The report responded to a need for predictable, sustainable revenue to fund impactful increases to the transit system where existing revenue had stopped keeping pace with population growth, leading to declining levels of service, and the COVID-19 pandemic had created immediate budgetary pressures.

In collaboration with an internal steering committee of transit and finance staff, the project team established five guiding objectives:

  1. Travel choices: the tool’s potential to increase mode share for transit and active transportation.

  2. Implementation: the ease with which the tool could be adopted regarding regulation and resourcing.

  3. Equity: the tool’s anticipated impacts on vertical and horizontal equity.

  4. Alignment with City Objectives: how supportive the tool is of established municipal priorities.

  5. Revenue Potential: the magnitude, reliability, and flexibility of revenue generated by the tool.

Each of the ten tools was scored against these five objectives in a comprehensive multiple account evaluation (MAE). Going beyond scoring, extensive commentary on each tool addressed questions regarding Edmonton’s unique context, goals, limitations, and opportunities.  Precedents were also provided detailing how each tool has been used in other jurisdictions in North America and beyond.

At Edmonton’s Executive Committee, Leading Mobility presented the report and answered questions from Councillors. The analysis and findings of the report were met with unanimous approval and a motion was passed directing staff to conduct further analysis on several of the tools. Sustainable Funding Tools for Edmonton Transit Service will also feed into ongoing collaboration between Alberta municipalities advocating the Province for increased revenue generation powers for local governments.