Ride Transit Program

The sale of October Ride Transit Program passes has begun. Since most City facilities remain closed for transit pass sales due to COVID-19, alternative payment options are available to minimize in-person contact. We recognize these new payment options will be different for a lot of people. We will do our very best to assist you through this change of process. 

If you require an October pass by October 1, we recommend you purchase your pass as soon as possible, as passes need to be mailed, and may take up to 10 business days via Canada Post. 

Recommended Option: Online

Purchase your pass at ride.edmonton.ca 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Credit card payment (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) is accepted only at this time. ETS is working to implement VISA Debit and Debit Mastercard as soon as possible.  

• Note: To use the Ride Transit Program online store, your email account must be registered before an online account can be created. If you provided an email address in your Ride Transit Program application, an invite to complete your online account setup has been sent to you from businessdevelopment@edmonton.ca. Please check your email, including junk/spam folders to see if you have received the invite.
• If you have not received an email from businessdevelopment@edmonton.ca, or did not initially provide an email on your application, or have had a change to your email address, please call 311 to update. Once updated, an email inviting you to join and complete your online account setup will be sent, usually within 2 business days.

Please use the email address you used when you originally applied for the RIDE/LAP program, as email confirmation will be required.

Phone: 

• Call 780-423-RIDE (7433) Monday-Friday between 8am-4:30pm.
  
  We accept: VISA Debit, Debit Mastercard, VISA, Mastercard, American Express.

In Person: 

• Purchases by cash or regular debit will be done, by appointment only, at select City facilities.
• If participants need to purchase through this method, please call 780-423-RIDE (7433) Monday-Friday between 8am- 4:30pm to set up an appointment.
  
  No walk-ins are permitted at City facilities at this time.

To purchase a November monthly pass (and future monthly passes) more easily, we recommend you sign-up for auto-debit by September 21. This automatically deducts the cost of your pass from your bank account a few weeks before the applicable month, and your pass is mailed to you. This is the easiest way to purchase your pass and save time.

Please review the Terms and Conditions, fill out this form and then either mail the completed form to the mailing address on the top of the form, or email your documents to etscustomerprograms@edmonton.ca. You will need to include a VOID cheque or Pre-Authorized Debit form from your bank in your submission.

The City and regional transit partners have been working collaboratively with the participating U-Pass Students’ Associations since the end of June. Due to the majority of classes being offered online, all 10 parties agreed that fall U-Passes will not be issued. 

COVID-19 has presented unique financial challenges for everyone, and the suspension of the fall U-Pass is a temporary adjustment due to the pandemic. The U-Pass Program is a regional program, not simply a City of Edmonton program. 

On August 19, in order to provide students with discounted transit fare options, ETS made recommendations to Edmonton City Council. Council approved the temporary expansion of eligibility to the Ride Transit Program for post-secondary students from September 1 to December 31, 2020.

• This program has 2 tiers (a sliding scale) and is based on an individual’s personal income. Personal income can be proven through a Notice of Assessment (NOA), Employment Insurance (EI) document or CERB document
• Students will need to apply through the Leisure Access Program
• If a student is 18+, and earns less than $29,069, they may qualify for a $34/month pass
• If a student is 18+, and earns between $29,070 and $33,033, they may qualify for a $48.50/month pass
• International students are also eligible to apply for the Ride Transit Program
• If a student is under 18, there is a process to apply for the program which involves filling out a Release of Information and Responsibility Form. This release, accompanied by approved income documentation, will allow these students to apply for Ride Transit

Note: For context, a U-Pass costs approximately $45/month.

Note: Students who are considered a dependent (their parents/guardians claim them on their taxes as a dependent) would have to include their parents/guardians income on their application, so they may not qualify for the Ride Transit Program. 

We will do our best to process Ride Transit applications as quickly as we can. We will continue to work closely with the U-pass institutions to ensure this process is working smoothly.

If your income is less than LICO + 10%, or you qualify from one of the following eligibility criteria, you now qualify for a $34 monthly transit pass. 

• You are on AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) or you receive the CPP-Disability Benefit (Canada Pension Plan)
• You are on Government of Alberta Income Support or Learner Income Support
• You are a new Permanent Resident or a refugee (to qualify, you must have been in Canada less than one year and have not filed a tax return)
• You are a child under government care
• You are receiving any type of government Employment Insurance (EI or CERB) (only the individual receiving EI or CERB will be eligible)
• Your household income is included in the amounts* listed below:

If your income is between 10% and 25% above LICO, you now qualify for a $48.50 monthly transit pass. Please refer to the table below.

• *Income thresholds are subject to change based on Canada Revenue Agency low-income cut-offs.
• **Eligible household is yourself, your partner/spouse and dependent children aged 17 or younger (dependents over 17 need to submit a separate application form with their own income and address verification documents).
• To calculate total household income, add the total incomes from Line 150 of you and your partner/spouse’s (if applicable) previous year’s Notice of Assessment. You are eligible if your total household income is equal to or less than the income shown above with the number of eligible household numbers.    

The application/renewal process is the same and you will automatically be considered for both programs. Please note that even if you qualify for LAP, you are not eligible for a monthly pass under the Ride Transit Program if you are:

• A child 6 years old or younger
• A Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) card holder (free when you display your CNIB identification when boarding)
• 26% above the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) or unable to provide income verification documentation
• A child under government care who receives a transit pass from Child and Family Services

Citizens who want to apply for the Leisure Access Program or ETS Ride Transit Pass Program can apply for both programs with one application.

It is completely optional for participants to use the recreation facilities and attractions offered by joining the programs. There is no charge for the Leisure Access membership. Ride Transit and Leisure Access are two separate programs that share the same application process. Together, they offer eligible Edmontonians a full range of benefits. 

Please note that your Leisure Access membership card or government issued photo ID is required to purchase a monthly transit pass at the subsidized rate of $34 or $48.50 and your recreation membership card is the best ID to use.

Newcomers to Canada can provide a copy of confirmation of Permanent Residence or Refugee protection claimant document as long as arrival dates are within one year for each person applying.