(Posted 8:30 a.m., Nov. 4)
Transit committee votes to cut proposed transit fare hikes in half
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Fearing the potential wrath of Ottawa's transit users, the city's transit comittee voted Friday to cut prposed fare increases in half, adding $2.5 million to the growing list of budget pressures in the process.

OC Transpo officials had proposed to increase transit fares tby 7.5 per cent as parrt of a three year plan to have users pay 50 per cent of the cost of the transit service. The committee narrowly decided to reduce the proposed increase to 3.5 per cent by a 4-3 vote.

As a result, seniors face a six per cent increase in the cost of a monthly monthly which will go from $31.75 to $34 instead of $36 as was previously proposed..A regular student monthly pass will increase from $65.25 to $70 and an express student monthly pass wiil go from $76.50 to $81.

The cost for a regular adult monthly pass will increase by four per cent from $84.75 to $88.25, and the price for an adult express monthly pass would go from $106 to $110.

Cash fares for regular non-express routes will go from $3 to $3.25, while the ticket fare will increase from $2.30 to $2.50. At the same time the cash fare for green express routes will go from $4 to $4.25, while the ticket fare will increase from $3.45 to $3.75.

If passed, the proposed price hikes would come into effect on July 1.

The proposed increases are the final step in a three year plan to establish a 50/50 split in funding transit services between property taxes and user fees. If the latest hike is approved by city council, fares will have increased by 27 per cent since 2007.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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