TTC considering 5-cent fare hike: Stintz

The TTC will consider a five-cent fare hike at a meeting on Thursday, commission chair Karen Stintz confirmed Wednesday.

“We will be considering a preliminary budget…that budget does consider a five-cent fare hike,” Stintz told CityNews Channel.

“If our subsidy remains stable and we keep to our commitment to not reduce any service,” the Toronto Transit Commission will meet its budget, she said.

The commission is facing a $30-million deficit in the 2013 budget.  The fare hike would generate about $18 million.

The fare increase would apply to tokens as well as the Metropass. The cost of the monthly card will go up by about $30 over the year.

“We’re trying to keep the increase at the rate of inflation,” Stintz said.

The commission will also consider a proposal to contract out cleaning services at Thursday’s meeting, a proposal union head Bob Kinnear has criticized.

“Ms. Stintz keeps conveying the message that they’ve gotta contain costs,” Kinnear said.

“I’d like to know where her concern with containing costs was last month at the commission meeting when Mr. Andy Byford made a recommendation to the commissioners that they endorse [a wage increase for management.]

“This fare hike that they’re proposing equates to about $15 million annually which would cover the cost of management’s increase.”

Last year, the TTC approved a controversial 10-cent fare hike every year over the next three years, starting last Jan. 1.

The 10-cent hike did not affect the cash fare, which remained at $3, but the cost of tokens and passes increased. That hike came with reduced service on some bus and streetcar routes.

The increase won’t be as high for 2013.

Click here
for Thursday’s TTC meeting agenda.

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