Transit riders disappointed by OC Transpo fare hike

Some OC Transpo riders and one local transit advocacy group say they're disappointed Ottawa city council has decided to not freeze transit fares for adults for 2024.

City council rejected the motion put forward byGloucester-Southgate Coun. Jessica Bradley last week during its annual budget discussions.

It would have increased the transit levy on property tax bills as an alternative to raising fares. For the averagehomeowner, that would amount to paying roughly $8 extra.

PerOC Transpo staff estimates, a fare freeze would have attractedan additional 300,000 rides across the systemand would added about $600,000 in addition to the revenue from the levy.

But the motion was rejected in favour ofincreasing the base fare for an adult ticket by 2.5 per cent, or 10 cents.

Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower, who chairs the transit commission, said last week that fare increases are necessary to improve service.

"Idon't think it makes a speck of difference to ourriders," he told council at the Wednesday meeting, adding that he regretted voting to freeze fares last year.

"They want to see improved service, improved reliability, and that's what's going to have the long-term effect to bring back riders."

'This is crazy'

But for transit riders likeKayla Straker-Trotman, who already has a lengthy commute, the 10-cent hike which comes into effect Jan. 1 could be the last straw.

"I'm just saving up for a car pretty much, because this is crazy," she told CBC on Saturday.

University of Ottawa student Surayya Kanji also says hertwo-hour commute doesn't justify the added cost.

"I think that if they freeze the fares, they'll actually get better ridership," Kanji said. "Because as of right now the service that they provide us in Ottawa is honestly kind of horrendous."

Those sorts of comments are inline with what other riders are saying, said Nick Grover, a member ofFree Transit Ottawa, which advocates for affordable transit.

"Two of the worst things the city can do if it wants to grow its transit ridership is to make it more expensive and to cut service," he said.

"And unfortunately we're doing both."

Other ideas

Grover said he'smost disappointed by the fact Ottawa city council didn't consider any other alternatives to a fare freeze.

"No one had any other ideas or solutions and that's really sad frankly, because the the ideas are not rocket science," he said. "They're out there. Other cities are doing them."

Some of those ideas, he said,include increasing the number of bus routes and adding more bus lanes.

"We don't really see that being picked up at city hall."