South Central Bus Garage

Calgary's public transit system is preparing for significant growth, with challenges along the way. Calgary Transit must integrate new vehicle technologies, replace aging facilities, and develop new infrastructure amidst ongoing urban development projects. Over the next 30 years, The City's population is expected to increase by nearly half a million people, significantly raising the demand for efficient and sustainable transit services. The 2023 RouteAhead long-term transit strategy highlights the need for increased service hours, additional buses, and facilities to meet targets in the Calgary Transportation Plan and Municipal Development Plan.

Calgary Transit has identified the need for additional bus garages before 2050, to keep pace with growth. One of these garages will replace the Victoria Park Garage as part of the Rivers District planning initiative, which will convert the Victoria Park site for residential use. The South Central Bus Garage is not only strategically positioned to address this need but also represents a unique opportunity.

No other sites are City-owned, suitably sized, centrally located, with adequate access and zoning. The South Central Bus Garage will effectively bridge the gap and accommodate the necessary expansion and modernization efforts planned by Calgary Transit.

Public transit service in Calgary is expected to grow significantly due to population growth and the City’s 2023 RouteAhead plan, which emphasizes public transit and calls for significant service expansions to meet future transportation needs. Investment in the Primary Transit Network will focus on increased bus service hours, and growing demand for buses in the SE regardless of Green Line LRT development.

Currently, Calgary’s public transit facilities require added capacity for transit operations, bus fleet storage, and maintenance.

A feasibility study reviews the potential costs, opportunities, and implications of developing a specific location or locations. It considers operational requirements, technical, environmental, social, and financial implications of development, as well as potential economic impacts and community feedback. It is a preliminary planning tool, and may include geotechnical, environmental, traffic, historical and/or archaeological assessments, and more. The scope of a project may evolve as a feasibility study progresses and brings new considerations to light.

A bus maintenance and storage facility provides indoor storage for buses and has space for maintenance/repair and fueling of the fleet. Additional transit operations may also be located at the MSF site to realize operating efficiencies.

These are City-owned lands. They were deemed feasible due to size, location, and access for buses. A central location is required to reduce Calgary Transit operating costs due to the volume of transit service that begins and ends downtown.

Decisions are based on all the data collected as part of this study, as well as corporate facility planning recommendations, and overarching transit needs and policies.

As part of the study, we will create a site Master Plan, which is essentially a preferred design concept for the new facility. The City will also recommend a funding strategy for future design and construction.

Detailed design and construction of a new South Central Bus Garage facility are not currently funded.

The initial replacement for Victoria Park Garage will accommodate a minimum of 250 buses and the site is being designed to accommodate up to 500 buses to meet the growing demand for bus transit in the central area. We have not yet determined the exact scale of the initial build or subsequent expansion.