Curated by Tyler Stewart

Should transit be a private or public service?

Lethbridge citizens debated this question in 1909 when a group of local entrepreneurs proposed a street railway line for the city. A bylaw on the proposal was roundly defeated, with the Lethbridge Herald reporting a “pronounced sentiment in favour of municipal ownership.” Three years later the City launched its own public transit system.

Since that time, public transit has played a vital role in residents’ everyday lives. Although balancing service and cost has been an ongoing challenge, streetcars and buses have provided Lethbridge residents with mobility, and access to work, shop, play and engage with their community.