Calgary-Banff On-It Transit Cancelled for 2026

The cancellation of a seasonal transit service that provided over 25,000 one-way trips between Calgary and the Bow Valley last year is being attributed to a lack of interest from private operators after the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) received no bids through a public procurement process.

The Calgary-Canmore–Banff route operated under On-It Regional Transit will not run in 2026, leaving a gap in affordable regional transportation with no direct public transit replacement.

“There were no bids on the request for proposal (RFP) that was posted by the BVRTSC,” said Martin Bean, chief executive officer of Roam Transit.

The outcome means a service that recorded 25,125 riders on the Calgary-Bow Valley route in 2025 is no longer available heading into the 2026 summer season, leaving those riders to seek alternative ways into one of Canada’s busiest national park regions.

The service operated under a hybrid model that combined public funding with private delivery. Bean said the commission contracted a private operator to run the route, while municipalities and Parks Canada contributed funding alongside fare revenue.

“On-It Regional Transit was funded by Parks Canada, Town of Banff and Town of Canmore for the last few years to provide affordable, reliable scheduled transit service between Calgary and Banff on summer weekends and holidays,” Bean said.

Financially, the service depended on a mix of fare revenue and public funding. Riders paid $12.50 per trip in 2025, alongside contributions from Parks Canada and the towns of Banff and Canmore.

Bean said contributions included approximately $154,000 from Parks Canada, $63,000 from the Town of Banff and $17,500 from the Town of Canmore.

In 2025, the route was operated by Southland Transportation under a time-limited contract. Commission documents show the company had operated the service since at least 2018. When the agreement expired, the commission issued a new request for proposals to find a replacement operator for 2026.

“Southland Transportation operated the On-It service and their contract with the BVRTSC had expired, requiring a new RFP to be posted,” Bean said. “They chose not to bid on the contract and no other bidders submitted proposals.”

The absence of any bidders effectively halted the service. Bean declined to speculate on why companies did not bid, but noted the service operated only on weekends during the busy summer season for bus operators.

“I would hesitate to answer on behalf of potential suppliers who chose not to bid, however the Calgary to Bow Valley service only operated on weekends and summer is an extremely busy time for bus operators,” he said.

With the service cancelled, those riders will now need to seek alternative transportation, including private vehicles, carpools or commercial shuttle operators, which generally operate at higher price points and with varying capacity.

While travellers are being directed to alternative options, including private operators, there is no direct public transit replacement connecting Calgary to Banff and Canmore. Roam Transit, often cited as an alternative, does not operate service to Calgary and instead runs local routes within the Bow Valley.

“There are an increasing number of private operators connecting Calgary to the Bow Valley,” said Bean, pointing to the Car Free Banff website developed by Parks Canada and the Town of Banff. “This will allow for visitors and residents to still choose to travel without the use of private vehicles.”

The future of the service remains uncertain as municipalities and Parks Canada monitor traffic levels and the availability of alternative transit options this summer.

“The Towns of Banff and Canmore and Parks Canada will monitor the level of vehicle traffic, and the availability of affordable and convenient scheduled bus service this summer to determine if they will contract a service in the future,” Bean said.