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We’re concerned that Metrolinx’s plan to meddle with Toronto’s fare structure will hurt Toronto transit riders.

Provincial agency Metrolinx and the TTC will discuss fare integration at a joint-board meeting from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Wednesday April 27 at 97 Front Street.   

Information about how fares will change has been kept under wraps. Metrolinx’s board meetings do not allow public comment.  TTCriders request for a meeting with Metrolinx staff about fare integration have been ignored.   

Metrolinx is considering a fare-by-distance model within Toronto, as well as higher fares for fast service, including the subway.  

Metrolinx’s fare-by-distance scheme could really hurt riders, especially low income riders in Toronto’s outer neighbourhoods, such as Scarborough.  Why should riders who have to travel long distances on less reliable transit have to pay more just to get to work?

Seminal work by David Hulchanski clearly shows that transit riders living in the outer suburbs have crappier transit options than downtown riders and also tend to be poorer. Metrolinx has released no studies indicating they are considering the interests of these riders or about the need to keep public transit affordable for all. 

We are very concerned about Metrolinx’s interest in hiking fares to ride the subway because it’s plain unfair. It makes no sense to create a two-tiered transit system where the poor are priced-out of fast transit and are left stuck on the buses.

How can we trust Metrolinx to rewrite our region’s fare structure given their willingness to create luxury expensive transit to the airport for a few to the detriment of everyone else.

Metrolinx originally charged riders $27.50 to board the new Union Pearson train, despite overwhelming public outcry and numerous studies — which Metrolinx kept secret under the Toronto Sun wrestled it out of them using the FOIA process — indicating the price was too high.   Fares on the Union Pearson train dropped only after the train ran nearly empty for months, and the province intervened.

TTCriders believes it’s critical the province increase transit funding, and introduce rider-friendly measures like two-hour fares, and more service, especially in Toronto.

We are monitoring this situation really closely.  Here’s some more information about fare integration: 

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