Why Fair Entry Matters

Making Medicine Hat More Accessible for Everyone

I strongly believe that helping the people who need it the most should be a top priority. Those residents who use transit and other City services but live on low incomes for one reason or another will be able to more fully contribute to the vibrancy and economy of our city if we can remove some of the barriers to access. I’m incredibly proud that Public services launched the Fair Entry program, and it has been incredibly well-utilized. From the 2024 annual report, the City reported over 2,000 people benefitted from the program, and they approved 1,230 new applicants. While it’s unfortunate that more than 1,200 people identified as low income who evidently were not before, it’s also encouraging to see awareness and uptake of this program increase. 

Fair Entry is the kind of program that makes me feel good as a Hatter, and is something I’m proud to have a portion of my municipal taxes pay for. According to the same report, the MH Transit system experienced over 1 million boardings for the first time in history, 30% of which were Fair Entry program users. This means that people who might not otherwise be able to get to work, to the library, to the mall, or to other recreation facilities could get there. It’s also a very strong argument to expand the transit system, which will be the topic of another blog.

https://www.medicinehat.ca/en/community-safety-and-support/fair-entry.aspx 

Thanks again. More soon.

— Adam