What did transit riders get in the 2017 ON budget?

Riders get seniors tax credit, no immediate service improvements

The 2017 Ontario budget will mean no service improvements to transit riders this year, but relief could be in sight, says transit advocacy organization,

TTCriders.

The Ontario government will increase the gas tax revenue to public transit starting in 2019.  Once the program is fully rolled out in 2021, Toronto will see its share of the gas tax revenue increase from $171 million to about $342 million a year. 

We need more, we need it now, but this increase in funding could absolutely bring about vital immediate improve service improvements, provided the city directs the money to the TTC. 

We want the Ontario government to provide at least $660 million a year in funding for the TTC, starting in 2017.  This funding would pay for significant service improvements on all routes and the introduction of rider friendly fares like two hour fare transfers and a fair discount for low income riders.

This budget also introduces the new Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit Program which will provide seniors with a 15% tax credit off public transit costs.  The government estimates seniors will receive an average tax return of about $130 a year.  The program will cost about $8.5 million a year.

This small tax discount for seniors is helpful, but lowering fares for low income riders is a fairer first step.

Toronto just approved a low income pass program that will provide discounts for social assistance recipients and riders earning less than $23,000 a year.  The currently unfunded program will cost $5 million in 2018 when the discount is made available to social assistance recipients. When it is fully rolled out in 2021 the program will cost $48 million.

There are 700,000 riders in Toronto who will be eligible for this low income pass and who are struggling to pay for skyrocketing TTC fares. This budget should provide fare relief for low income riders first,” she said.

The TTC receives the smallest government support per ride of all major North American transit systems. The transit agency receives just $1 a ride, far less than the North American average of $2.60 a ride. 

The Provincial Government used to match the city’s contribution to the TTC but stopped doing so in the 1990s. 

The Ontario government did not announce any new money for infrastructure in this year's budget but is planning on spending upwards of $52 billion over the next 10 years on transit.  TTCriders supports the Ontario government’s significant investments in public transit infrastructure, including increasing service and electrifying GO lines, and building the Finch West LRT and Eglinton Crosstown LRT.  

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How are your Don Valley West candidates promising to improve public transit?

We’ve asked candidates whether they’ll invest in more TTC service, protect door-to-door Wheel-Trans service, expand TTC’s low-income discount, approve fare capping and more. View candidates’ detailed answers to our survey, information about their transit platforms, and more.

Letter & Survey: TTC must exchange expired tokens and tickets

Do you still have TTC tokens or paper senior/student tickets or day passes? The TTC has announced that they will stop accepting TTC tokens and paper tickets after December 31, 2024. But the TTC will not be issuing exchanges. This is unfair to people who have saved up tokens and tickets, especially low-income seniors. Gift cards and permanent stamps never expire --  why are transit fares any different?

“Rally to Fix the TTC” calls for investment in repairing subway slow zones during National Transit Week

(Toronto, ON) – Transit advocacy organization TTCriders will hold a rally today at 5:00pm outside Bathurst Subway Station to call on federal Members of Parliament to invest in TTC repairs and new subway trains on Line 2 by accelerating implementation of the Canada Public Transit Fund. The rally is part of a national “Transit Action Week” being organized in 5 Canadian cities. (Cantonese, Mandarin, French spokespeople available.)

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Add your name for Fare Capping!
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Protect Wheel-Trans Service
Keep and Expand Free TTC Wi-Fi!

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