On Monday morning, March 2, an incident occurred at Churchill Station involving an Edmonton transit rider who was physically attacked while on their way to board the Valley Line LRT.
Describing the event in a subsequent text message to Transit Watch, the rider stated, “They punched me in the face.” The rider explained their delay in reporting the incident was due to a desire to quickly leave the scene and return home.
Reports received by Transit Watch on the same day included instances of harassment, drug use in public, drug distribution, a fire ignited at a bus stop, and an individual brandishing a flame lighter within a transit facility.
Over the years, the City of Edmonton has been actively working to enhance safety on public transportation by increasing the presence of peace and police officers, expanding outreach teams, and investing more in maintenance and security upgrades.
Despite these efforts, text messages sent to the reporting line earlier this year indicate ongoing concerns among many riders regarding safety within the transit system.
CBC News obtained a collection of text messages exchanged between mid-February and mid-March through a request under the Access to Information Act. These messages, comprising over 200 pages, revealed a consistent flow of reports from various locations across the city.
Drug-related Issues a Key Focus
Several reports highlighted issues related to drug use and smoking at LRT stations, bus stops, and pedestrian walkways.
One rider expressed frustration after witnessing drug use in an LRT shelter at the Kingsway/Royal Alex LRT station, stating, “Sure would be great to make my commute without being exposed to illegal drugs and dangerously unstable addicts EVERY day.”
Instances of meth, crack, and fentanyl use on transit property were reported, along with incidents of harassment, verbal abuse, and discriminatory comments directed at passengers. Concerns were also raised about smoking and drug paraphernalia present in certain areas.
Additional reports mentioned witnessing drug transactions, discovering drug-related items, observing disruptive behaviors like public urination and yelling, as well as encountering hazardous materials such as broken glass.
One individual reported finding a used condom inside a ticket machine at Davies Transit Centre, highlighting the potential safety risks associated with such findings.
Other texts detailed incidents of blood, fires, altercations, and threats within various transit locations across the city.
Regular transit user Katarina Hamilton shared her experience of contacting Transit Watch about monthly incidents, noting common occurrences of obstructions and fires, particularly during late-night and early-morning hours.
Recalling a past incident involving a physical altercation at Central Station, Hamilton emphasized the need for increased peace officer presence and surveillance on buses to improve passenger safety.
Stagnant Safety Perceptions
Edmonton Transit Service conducts regular surveys with thousands of riders annually to gauge safety perceptions. In 2025, the percentage of riders feeling safe throughout their last trip remained at 61%, unchanged from the previous year.
In response, Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, ETS’s branch manager, acknowledged the complexity of shaping perceptions of safety, citing various contributing factors. She noted an uptick in Transit Watch contacts during colder months and highlighted a year-over-year increase in text messages, paralleling growth in ridership and safety line awareness.
According to data from the Edmonton Police Service, the number of police responses to violent incidents at LRT and transit locations rose from 292 in 2024 to 307 in 2025, with a decrease observed in calls thus far in the current year.
Enhancing Safety Measures
Addressing safety concerns, Hotton-MacDonald outlined ongoing initiatives by ETS to enhance rider security, including the addition of 30 peace officers and an eighth community outreach team.
Further enhancements planned for this year aim to bolster transit safety perceptions through initiatives like enabling cellular connectivity in LRT tunnels, enhanced rider engagement, travel training support, and station infrastructure improvements.
Anne Stevenson, Ward