Thanks to Your Support, 35 City Councillors Supported the Low-Income Pass

Thanks to your emails, calls, letters, and tweets, 35 city councillors voted on Tuesday, July 8^th 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

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.

Glenn De Baeremaeker [email protected] 416-392-0204
Peter Leon [email protected] 416-392-4002
Gloria Lindsay Luby [email protected] 416-392-1369

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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.

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