Fare increases due to “underfunding” 

Starting this April, you could be paying 10 cents more each time you take the TTC,  if the proposed budget is approved.

The fare increase adds 10 cents to every type of fare, with the exception of the adult cash fare, which will remain at $3.25. The standard fare of $3 for PRESTO users will increase from $3 to $3.10, and a student fare will increase from $2.05 to $2.15. 

Monthly passes will also be affected. The  monthly  post-secondary TTC pass will increase from $116.75 to $122.45, a $5.70 difference. The standard monthly pass price will increase to $151.15. 

The proposed changes will be voted on in a March 7 City Council vote. If passed, the fare price increase will come into effect April 1. 

“Transit riders are paying the price for chronic TTC underfunding,” said Anna Lermer of TTC Riders, “we believe that its time to increase operating funding to the TTC from the city and the province, so the fares go down and not up.”

According to the official budget report, part of the reason for the fare increase is to help cover costs from the PRESTO system transfer and diesel prices. The report estimates that the increase could bring around $25.6 million in revenue. 

Funding has been a persistent issue for the TTC, which has the lowest overall subsidy and lowest revenue per rider, according to CodeRedTO’s Mixed Signal Report, which compared the TTC to the metro systems of other large North American cities. This essentially means that the TTC is more reliant on fares than any other North American transit system, and receives less funding from the government. 

Lermer emphasized, “With more funding, they could run more buses, they could run more subways, invest in long-term improvements that will improve service for transit riders across the city.”