Edmonton a step closer to tap credit, debit payments to ride transit

The City of Edmonton is launching a trial period to expand its transit payment system to include direct credit and debit card transactions.

The city phased out all traditional paper tickets in November, forcing Edmonton transit riders to buy an Arc card or Arc ticket.

But testing direct debit or credit payments is another step toward an open-payment system, which are already implemented in some other major Canadian cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa.

"We've been really intentional in supporting riders through each phase," said Sarah Feldman, director of transit planning, ridership and revenue for the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS).

The Arc card, which rolled out in stages starting in 2022, allows users to transfer money through online payments, Arc vending machines, or in-person payments at service centres.

It allows riders to take transit between neighbouring municipalities near Edmonton, like St. Albert, Leduc and Strathcona County.

There are also fare caps: once riders reach the ETS daily or monthly maximum amount, they can use transit for the rest of the day or month without charge.

But it has caused some headaches for riders like Maleska Montour. She said she has lost her Arc card a few times, and sometimes had trouble remembering the password to her Arc account. 

"It's been a journey," said Montour, who has used transit for more than five years.

"People would rather have cash or debit on them, than a card that can easily be taken." 

Edmonton has made moves to transition to an open-payment system as early as January, when they installed Arc card readers that would accept credit and debit card tap payments.

The years-long phased-approach was "always part of the plan," Feldman said.

She noted that ETS intentionally spent time focusing on various demographics, starting with the UPass for university students, then adults, seniors and low-income riders.

Edmontonian Veerareddy Vaka, who used to ride transit from Scarborough, Ont., to work in downtown Toronto every day, is surprised it has taken Edmonton so long to catch up.