Increasing fares to fund inadequate transit discount is a “shell game,” TTCriders says
(Toronto, ON) — The Toronto Transit Commission’s 2023 operating budget released yesterday proposes running 9% less service in 2023 than pre-pandemic levels, a fare increase for youth and adults, and allowing for more crowded vehicles.
TTCriders, a membership organization of transit users in Toronto, released the following statement:
“Mayor Tory has proposed deep budget cuts that will leave transit users waiting longer for their bus, streetcar, and subway. And when their TTC vehicle arrives, it will be more crowded.
Service cuts and fare increases will only drive more transit users away, reducing safety and wrecking Toronto’s chances at meeting our climate goals.
In a cruel and cynical move, Mayor Tory is asking the lowest-income Toronto residents to pay more to expand a discount for a small fraction of other low-income people, rather than raising revenue from those who can afford it. This is a shell game, not a meaningful investment in affordability.
The Mayor must fully fund the Fair Pass discount through the City of Toronto budget, not by raising costs for other transit users. Every TTC fare increase means less money in peoples’ pockets for food and rent.
The Mayor could raise hundreds of millions to rebuild TTC ridership with more service and lower fares, with a parking levy on big malls and commercial landlords.”
Quick facts from the proposed 2023 TTC Operating Budget:
- Subway service will run at 6-minutes-or-better service levels and as low as 10-minutes-or-better service levels.
- Streetcar service will be reduced to 87% of pre-pandemic levels, bus service will be reduced to 94% of pre-pandemic levels, and rapid transit service will be reduced to 75% of pre-pandemic levels.
- Crowding standards will increase, allowing more crowding on all TTC vehicles. For example, the off-peak “crowding standard” is planned to increase from 35 to 45 people in a bus. This will result in less frequent and more crowded buses outside of rush hour, which is when many transit users travel with strollers and groceries.
- The $2 million Fair Pass expansion in the TTC budget represents a fraction of full implementation. More background info on Fair Pass below.
- A proposed increase to single fares for adults and youth will generate $16 million.
- A total of $4.4 million is being spent on policing, outreach, and cleanliness measures: hiring more Special Constables will cost $2.4 million, hiring additional Streets to Homes workers will cost $1 million, and additional streetcar cleaning will cost $1 million.
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Link to TTC proposed 2023 operating budget: https://ttc-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/Project/TTC/DevProto/Documents/Home/Public-Meetings/Board/2023/January-9/1_2023_TTC_Conventional_and_Wheel_Trans_Operating_Budgets.pdf?rev=4adba554f8904c9ebd8f73dcbb2edc9f&hash=2302BD43D9A0703CDD7242198881C545
Quick facts about the Fair Pass program:
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To date, the Fair Pass program has been funded by the City of Toronto through the Social Development, Finance, and Administration department, not by rider fares through the TTC budget.
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The final, 3rd phase of the Fair Pass is meant to expand the discount to all low-income residents with a family income below the Low-Income Measure plus 15% (ie. an annual after-tax income of less than $30,555/single person household, according to 2020 LIM figures).
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The TTC’s 2023 Operating Budget proposes a small expansion of the Fair Pass low income discount. $2 million would fund an expansion to low income residents with a family income below 75% of the Low-Income Measure (ie. an annual after-tax income of less than $19,927/single person household, according to 2020 LIM figures).
- The Fair Pass discounts single fares to $2.10 and monthly passes to $123.25.
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Low income residents depend on transit the most. 65% of Fair Pass users continued to ride the TTC in 2020, compared to 35% of overall riders, according to the Poverty Reduction Strategy mid-term strategy report.
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Updated cost estimates of expanding the Fair Pass to all low-income residents including low-wage workers have not been released since 2021, but earlier estimates were between $20 million to $30 million per year.
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The Fair Pass was first approved in 2016. City Council voted in February 2022 to "proceed with the implementation of the next phase of the Fair Pass program as quickly as possible" but did not include funding in the 2022 City Budget.
Other background information:
- TTC data shows that shift workers, women, and low-income people are the three key groups of people who have been relying on transit throughout the pandemic. Source.
- A single TTC fare cost $1.80 in 2002. If TTC fares had been indexed to inflation rates over the past 20 years, riders would be paying $2.74 per ride in 2022. Source. A Commercial Parking Levy could raise up to $575 million per year, according to a 2021 City of Toronto staff report.
- Toronto’s TransformTO strategy to achieve Net Zero recommends an “increase existing bus and streetcar service levels to encourage shifts to low carbon, sustainable transportation.” Source.
Transit user quotes:
- “'Essentially the City is saying that you don't have the right to travel if you can't pay.” - Calum Houston, Ward 16 resident
- “'We have too much expense, rent is also too high. Lots of people can't afford it. I want to go out but I can't afford TTC when I want to go out grocery shopping.” - Hetal Khamar, Ward 5 resident
- “People with disabilities have the right to use transit and feel safe. Investment in TTC and Wheel-Trans should expand, not shrink by attrition because people have stayed home during the pandemic.” - Jennifer Conroy, Ward 12 resident and Wheel-Trans user