TTCRiders demands Toronto follow Niagara Region, Calgary and Edmonton in introducing a low income pass

Transit advocates are asking Toronto to follow the lead of Niagara Region and Alberta's largest cities by introducing a low-income transit pass for the TTC. Yesterday, Niagara Regional Council approved a $110 reduction in the cost of their transit system's monthly pass for eligible applicants, from $160 to $50. Local politicians initially proposed a more modest price decrease but advocates pressed hard for more robust help for the neediest transit riders. Andy Petrowski, the St. Catharines city councillor who spearheaded the move, said that the reduced cost will particularly assist job seekers: “This gives people who are looking for work or moving to work, traditionally in lower-paying positions, an opportunity to use (regional transit) for the first time.” Niagara is also hoping to boost ridership on their regional transit system through this targeted fare reduction.

Niagara joins other Canadian jurisdictions with a low-income pass in place or going through advanced stages of planning. Calgary, which has had a low-income monthly pass in place for some time, is currently in the process of reducing the cost even further. Starting next year, a sliding scale of income will be used to determine the cost of a Calgary Transit pass; which for some will be as low as $5.00. Nigel Kirk, a noted anti-poverty activist and formerly homeless himself, is pleased with this initiative; calling it a 'huge win' for Calgary's poor. On the heels of it's rival, Edmonton is also set to introduce a similar pass next year, although it will cost more than Calgary's for now.

Meanwhile, TTC fares are continuing to rise faster than inflation and the poorest are forced to pay the highest monthly pass prices in the country, all for the privilege of suffering through the longest commute times in North America. Edmonton and Calgary are able to offer such high support for their low-income residents due to generous provincial funding (the Alberta government will cover half of the estimated $12.4 million cost for three years in Edmonton, for example) while Ontario still refuses to fund day to day operations of the TTC, much less help fund fare reduction.

Nevertheless, with the budget process set to begin this fall, TTCRiders is calling on council to reexamine its priorities and increase the subsidy per rider from $0.85 to $1.26; which will allow for the introduction of a $50 low-income pass as well as fund other transit projects like service expansion. Even without Provincial support, this is an achievable goal for this Council as the ambitious Poverty Reduction Strategy has already been approved and the recommendations contained therein (including low-income transit passes) are only waiting for proper funding to make them a reality.

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