Newly released documents show TD Canada Trust covered the costs for the City of Calgary to remove all signage related to its now-terminated sponsorship of the Calgary Transit free fare zone. The financial details of this arrangement, however, have been kept from the public.
Sponsorship Ended Two Years Early
The bank's five-year naming rights agreement for the free-to-ride LRT zone along Seventh Avenue was cancelled in November 2025, a full two years before its planned expiration. The partnership, first announced in December 2022, was touted as a pioneering deal in Canadian public transit, providing the city with non-fare revenue while boosting TD's brand presence downtown.
Then-Mayor Jyoti Gondek had celebrated the agreement at its launch, calling it "a unique step for our city" and the first of its kind in the country. The early termination represents a significant shift from those initial announcements.
Emails Reveal Termination Process
Correspondence between Calgary Transit and TD, obtained by Postmedia through a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) request, outlines the bank's decision. In a July 8, 2025, email, a TD senior manager of sport sponsorships and regional marketing stated the bank had reviewed its sponsorship strategy to align with "evolving priorities."
The email conveyed "the difficult decision to terminate our existing sponsorship agreement" effective November 14, 2025. TD provided the 90-day notice required by the contract and expressed appreciation for the city's collaboration.
City Invoices TD for Removal Costs
Because TD initiated the early cancellation, the city invoked a clause in the agreement requiring the bank to cover removal costs. A Calgary Transit official responded on July 9, 2025, stating the city would remove all signage and banners bearing TD logos and would invoice the bank for reimbursement.
The emails confirm an invoice was sent to TD in late August 2025. However, all specific dollar amounts, including the total value of the original sponsorship deal and the removal costs, were redacted from the released documents. The city has never publicly disclosed these financial figures.
The situation leaves unanswered questions about the total cost to taxpayers for the initiated and then dissolved partnership, and the net financial outcome for Calgary Transit after the early termination.
