An OC Transpo bus on March 25, 2024.
Senior transit fares will rise by 19 per cent instead of 120 per cent under the new plan, but the transit budget still faced criticism over bus reliability and service quality.Ottawa city councillors voted unanimously Wednesday to raise senior OC Transpo fares by 19 per cent, rejecting the 120 per cent hike that was originally proposed. The cost of a discounted monthly pass for seniors will rise from $49 to $58.25, the same cost as an EquiPass for low-income customers.
A proposed five per cent hike to the U-Pass for post-secondary students is also postponed until at least September to give city staff time to negotiate new agreements with universities and student unions.While the motion to make those changes passed unanimously, the transit budget itself didn't. Eighteen councillors voted in favour, seven against.
Eighteen city councillors voted for the overall transit budget Wednesday, while seven voted against it. Adult fares are set to increase by five per cent under the budget, a figure council did not change on Wednesday. The transit levy will go up eight per cent, which equates to a one per cent increase to property taxes.
"Where are the specific direct investments that will reduce late buses?" he asked. "This was asked again at the transit commission, and I still don't have a clear answer about how budget resources are identified and included in the budget to address this top priority."
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