Thanks to your emails, calls, letters, and tweets, 35 city councillors voted on Tuesday, July 8th to support the planning of a low-income pass. This is a great victory!
Council recognizes that many Torontonians need some fare relief. (To read about Thanks to Your Support, 35 City Councillors Supported the Low-Income Pass
Thanks to Your Support, 35 City Councillors Supported the Low-Income Pass
it in the Star, click here.) Included
in Tuesday’s motion was a slight change that staff not only look at a low-income
pass but explore deeper fare reductions for seniors, especially during off-peak
hours. City staff now has 18 months to report back on a plan for the low-income
pass: how much of a fare reduction it would be, who would qualify for such a
pass, and how to fund it. During these next few months, TTCriders will continue
to push the transit discussion towards more service and lower fares for
everyone. Everyone benefits from great transit, including drivers, so the
responsibility of paying for it should be shared. Higher fares for other riders
and service cuts will not be accepted. The TTC gets the least amount of
government support per ride than any other transit system in North America. The
TTC has to have more funds from ALL levels of government so we can have more
service and lower fares. Everyone wins from better transit.
Here, you will see that
three city councillors voted NO to the low-income pass. Please call or
email these three councillors and tell them that low-income Torontonians
shouldn’t have to make the choice between buying food and buying tokens. You
can use the sample letter below.
Sample email to send to these 3 councillors
Dear Councillor, I was disheartened that you voted NO to city motion Ex. 43.18
on Tuesday, July 8 to develop a plan to offer low income TTC passes. I am not
sure if you know but many Torontonians today cannot afford to take public
transit. Precarious work has been on the rise. Wages have been stagnant. Many
people are out of work and are not able to seek employment opportunities because
TTC fares have been rising faster than inflation. I am disappointed that you are
not thinking about the low-income transit riders in your ward. I want an
inclusive Toronto where people are able to participate economically, civically,
socially – in all parts of Toronto – and their ability to participate doesn’t
depend on their income. Everyone benefits when we lower fares and increase
service, including drivers who are fed up with traffic. I hope that your voting
record on this matter will not be so disappointing next time. Thank you.
- Glenn De Baeremaeker [email protected] 416-392-0204
- Peter Leon [email protected] 416-392-4002
- Gloria Lindsay Luby [email protected] 416-392-1369
Sample email to send to these 3 councillors
Dear Councillor, I was disheartened that you voted NO to city motion Ex. 43.18
on Tuesday, July 8 to develop a plan to offer low income TTC passes. I am not
sure if you know but many Torontonians today cannot afford to take public
transit. Precarious work has been on the rise. Wages have been stagnant. Many
people are out of work and are not able to seek employment opportunities because
TTC fares have been rising faster than inflation. I am disappointed that you are
not thinking about the low-income transit riders in your ward. I want an
inclusive Toronto where people are able to participate economically, civically,
socially – in all parts of Toronto – and their ability to participate doesn’t
depend on their income. Everyone benefits when we lower fares and increase
service, including drivers who are fed up with traffic. I hope that your voting
record on this matter will not be so disappointing next time. Thank you.