A transit commuter in Edmonton was attacked on the morning of Monday, March 2, while passing through Churchill Station on their way to catch the Valley Line LRT.
The commuter disclosed in a text sent to Transit Watch, Edmonton Transit Services’ safety reporting line, that they were physically assaulted, stating, “They punched me in the face.”
Explaining the delay in reporting the incident, the commuter mentioned, “I didn’t report it sooner because I just wanted to get out of there and get home.”
On the same day, Transit Watch received multiple reports from commuters regarding harassment, drug use, drug transactions, a fire ignited at a bus stop, and an individual brandishing a lighter inside a transit center.
Despite ongoing efforts by the City of Edmonton to enhance safety on public transit, concerns persist among riders, as indicated by text messages sent to the reporting line earlier this year.
Accessed through an information request, over 200 pages of text messages exchanged between mid-February and mid-March highlighted regular safety issues reported from various locations across the city.
Drug-related Concerns
Many reports raised alarms about drug usage and smoking in LRT stations, bus stops, and pedways.
One commuter texted in February, “Sure would be great to make my commute without being exposed to illegal drugs and dangerously unstable addicts EVERY day,” following an incident of drug use at an LRT shelter at the Kingsway/Royal Alex LRT station.
Reports cited sightings of individuals using meth, crack, and fentanyl on transit premises, with instances of harassment and verbal abuse towards passengers by individuals under the influence. One rider reported feeling uncomfortable due to people smoking in the station.
Additional concerns included witnessing drug transactions, discovering drug paraphernalia, individuals urinating in public, creating disturbances, and obstructing pathways.
Various incidents were reported, ranging from discovering a used condom in a ticket machine to encountering blood at a transit station, fires being set, broken glass, altercations on trains, and threats of violence at transit locations.
Rider Katarina Hamilton texts Transit Watch about once a month. (Madeleine Cummings/CBC)
A regular transit user, Katarina Hamilton, reported contacting Transit Watch monthly, observing individuals blocking entrances and setting fires, especially during late hours.
Recalling a violent incident she witnessed at Central Station a year ago, Hamilton emphasized the need for enhanced security measures and surveillance on buses to ensure passenger safety.
Despite efforts to improve safety on the transit system, surveys conducted by ETS revealed that the percentage of riders feeling safe during their trips remained at 61% in 2025, unchanged from the previous year.
Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, ETS’s branch manager, acknowledged the challenges in altering riders’ safety perceptions over a short period, noting increased winter-related reports to Transit Watch and a rise in texts year-on-year.
Data from the Edmonton Police Service showed a slight increase in police responses to violent incidents at LRT and transit centers from 2024 to 2025, with lower call volumes reported so far in the current year.
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