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Monday, April 1, 2019

Toronto is already complaining about the TTC fare increase

The cost of taking public transit in Toronto just went up again for the eighth time in 10 years, turning what used to be a $3.00 fare for PRESTO and token users into $3.10.

Monthly passes are also more expensive as of April 1, 2019, up from $146.25 for adults to $151.15 (or $122.45 for students and seniors.)

Cash fares will remain the same at $3.25 — not that it matters much when the agency plans to stop taking cash altogether.

Ten cents may not sound like much, especially if you're a casual rider, but for people who take transit twice or more daily as part of their commute, those dimes can add up.

Transit advocates have been particularly vocal about how the fare hike could disproportionately impact the lives of low-income residents...

As well as seniors...

And students.

Some in the city simply aren't pleased by the idea of paying more for a service they feel is inadequate.

Others were hopeful that maybe the fare hike was just an April Fools' Day joke.

Many, many others called out members of Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government for griping about higher prices at the gas pump due to a federal carbon tax, which also came into effect across Ontario today.

"Didn't see a single @OntarioPCParty Toronto MPP tweet about how TTC fares are going up today by 10 cents," wrote one local on Twitter. "I guess they would only care if they took transit."

"And no word of sympathy from @fordnation about TTC fares going up today as well," wrote another. "In their world, everyone drives."

Some in Toronto even took the opportunity to remind local PC MPPs that gas went up less than TTC fares today, proportionally speaking.

The new fare structure was approved by City Council in January to assist the desperately underfunded TTC reach its capital budget.

The fare increase should generate an extra $25 million to $27 million per year for the TTC, which should help the transit agency raise at least some of the $33 billion it reportedly needs over the next 15 years.  


by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO

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