Calls for OC Transpo fare freeze mount amid LRT problems

Several members of Ottawa's transit commissionand city council are calling for a transit fare freeze in the wake of a marathon question and answer sessionon the new light rail system'sproblems.

OC Transpo fares are slated to go up another 2.5 per cent in January, just three months after a fare increase Oct. 1 duringthe LRT's official launch.

The new budget does include exceptions, with no increase slated for the EquiPass, community pass and access pass rates.

Earlier in Tuesday'stransit commission meeting, Capital Coun. Shawn Menard said he plans on crafting a motion to put off the January increase because the service hasn't been good enough.

Innes Coun. Laura Dudaswas also asking about the fare increase.

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Neither are on the commission, but some of itsmembers support that idea.

"I'm going to be spending my weekend looking in the (transit) budget to offset the $4.9 million that they say that a fare increase will bring in,"said Sarah Wright-Gilbert, who sits on the commission as a representative of the public.

Anthony Carricato, another public member, suggestedpostponingthe $6 million project to bring in electric busesor selling more ads to make up that shortfall.

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Advocacy groups have also been calling for a freeze.

Ottawa Transit Riders has adopted the slogan "The service is poor, we shouldn't pay more."

It's asking people to write their city councillor and pressthem to vote against the budget if it includes a fare increase.

The next transit commission meeting is Nov. 20, with citywide budget approval set for Dec. 11.