Edmonton: Transit Peace Officers (TPOs) issued over $3.5 million in fines to individuals with no fixed address in Edmonton in 2025, according to data obtained through the Access to Information Act. The details were revealed in a joint report released by the Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association (CTLA), the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights (CJHR), and Justice and Equity Alberta (JEA). The report highlights that the number of tickets and fines issued to unhoused individuals last year reached its highest level since 2018.
Fines of $600 each are levied whenever individuals banned from entering transit areas violate those restrictions. CJHR President Sam Mason criticized the practice, stating that spending taxpayer money to issue uncollectible fines to unhoused individuals is cruel and creates further barriers to securing employment and housing.
Bans from transit centers are issued either verbally or in writing. Verbal bans lasting 1 to 2 days are given for minor infractions, while written bans ranging from 3 months to 2 years are enforced for safety concerns. In 2025, out of 647 written bans issued, nearly half were related to substance use. Additionally, 369 verbal bans were handed out.
Sam Mason pointed out that the lack of addiction treatment centers and safe shelter spaces forces people to rely on public spaces and transit facilities. Various advocacy organizations called on the city, provincial, and federal governments to allocate more funding to expand emergency shelters, supportive housing, and recovery facilities.
In response, Mayor Andrew Knack acknowledged that individuals rely on transit stations as makeshift emergency shelters due to difficult circumstances. He stated that the permanent solution lies in ensuring adequate housing, mental health support, and addiction recovery services. Meanwhile, the Alberta government stated that $227 million has been allocated for housing initiatives across the province, along with 2,000 shelter spaces provided in Edmonton.
Additionally, the city council is considering a pilot project to install turnstiles (fare gates) at LRT stations to prevent fare evasion. Councillor Tim Cartmell noted that implementing fare gates would allow peace officers to focus on preventing serious crimes rather than issuing ticketing fines. A report regarding the project will be submitted to the Urban Planning Committee on November 17.
