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Movement & Transportation Freedom

Traffic Wisdom

"Nothing says freedom like being stuck in traffic with 10,000 of our closest individually-liberated neighbors"

Call Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Email Minister of Transportation

Call Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs Email Minister of Municipal Affairs

Why Should Transportation Be Free?

Because somehow we decided that our right to move around should depend on our ability to afford a $70,000 pickup truck. Revolutionary concept: maybe getting to work shouldn't require a small mortgage on wheels?

Our Current "Freedom" System

The Alberta Transportation Experience

  1. We buy expensive vehicles
  2. We pay expensive insurance
  3. We pay expensive gas
  4. We pay expensive parking
  5. We sit in expensive traffic
  6. We repeat until broke
  7. We question our life choices

What Real Transportation Freedom Looks Like

  • Frequent public transit (more often than leap years)
  • Reliable bus service (yes, even in our winters)
  • Light rail that actually goes places (not just downtown)
  • Protected bike lanes (without getting coal-rolled)
  • Walkable communities (shocking: we have legs for a reason)
  • Regional rail connections (Edmonton to Calgary in 2 hours, anyone?)

But What About Our Trucks?!

Plot Twist

Nobody's coming for our F-150s. We're just suggesting that maybe, just maybe, they shouldn't be our only way to get to Costco. Wild, we know.

The Economic Freedom Argument

When our public transit is free and effective: - We save thousands on vehicle costs - Our cities spend less on road maintenance - Our air quality improves - Our parking lots can become actual useful spaces - Our downtown isn't just one giant parking garage

What We're Missing

  • 24/7 transit service
  • Transit priority lanes
  • High-speed rail between our cities
  • Winter-friendly pedestrian areas
  • Bike share programs that work in -30°C
  • Transportation planning that doesn't assume we all own monster trucks

Pro Freedom Tip

If we think free public transit is communist, let's consider how much of our taxes go to maintaining roads for Amazon delivery trucks.

The Real Cost of Our Car Dependency

Our "freedom machines" cost us: - $700/month in payments - $200/month in insurance - $400/month in gas - $300/month in maintenance - Our firstborn's college fund in parking - Our sanity in traffic

The Better Way

Imagine if we had a world where: - We could read during our commute - We didn't have to be personal mechanics - Winter didn't mean bankruptcy via repairs - Our kids could get places without us being their chauffeurs - We could have a few drinks without needing a mortgage-sized Uber ride home

Reality Check

Our freedom to choose between different colored trucks isn't actually freedom - it's just expensive isolation on wheels.

The Bottom Line

Transportation freedom means having the ability to move around our community without sacrificing our financial future. It means understanding that a mobile population is a productive population (and a less angry one too).

Let's Get Moving

Ready to roll toward real freedom? Let's share this with our fellow Albertans - especially those who think adding another lane will finally fix our traffic (spoiler: it won't).

Sources & Evidence

Low-Income Transit Funding Crisis

  • In 2024, the provincial government cut funding for low-income transit passes in Calgary and Edmonton
  • After public outcry, the cuts were reversed - showing that advocacy works
  • Calgary's low-income transit program serves 119,000+ qualified users
  • Edmonton's program serves 25,000+ monthly users
  • Source: CBC News - Alberta transit funding cuts
  • Source: Calgary Transit Low Income Pass

Rural Transportation Gap

  • Rural communities have virtually no public transit options
  • Transit investment has prioritized highways over public transportation
  • Rural Albertans depend entirely on private vehicles
  • Source: Rural Municipalities of Alberta

Transit Fare Increases

Alternatives to Car Dependency

  • High-speed rail between Edmonton and Calgary has been studied but not implemented
  • Investment in cycling infrastructure remains minimal
  • Winter-ready pedestrian infrastructure lacking in most cities
  • Source: Alberta Transportation

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