Ontario Liberals promise ‘buck-a-ride’ transit fares until 2024, if elected

The Ontario Liberals are vowing to cut fares for all public transit agencies in the province to $1 per ride if the party gets elected in June.

The slashed fares would go into effect within 100 days of a Liberal government being elected and remain in place until January 2024, according to a statement from the party. There was also a promise to lower the cost of monthly passes to $40.

“Ontario is gripped by an affordability crisis and families expect their government to act,” says Ontario Liberal Party leader Steven Del Duca. “Our plan will provide families with immediate relief within the first 100 days of being elected by slashing the price of transit to a buck-a-ride.”

The reduced fares would apply to all municipal transit systems across the province as well as GO Transit and Ontario Northland service. Transit rides would also become free for all veterans under the new plan.

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“Under our plan, someone hopping on the GO train from Oakville to head in for a Blue Jays game will save nearly $20 on their round trip,” says Del Duca. “And a commuter taking the GO from Whitby to Toronto would save more than $300 dollars a month.”

The Liberals say slashing fares will cost $1.8 billion over the next two years and claim it would pull 400,000 cars off the roads each year. The party pledges it would fully replace the loss of revenue to transit operators and ensure no municipal governments are financially impacted by the reduced rates.

There is no word on how the party would pay for the costs of the plan.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath says Ontarians shouldn’t trust the Liberal to fix transit. She argues Del Duca already had the power to make transit more affordable and failed to do so.

“Unfortunately Steven Del Duca didn’t do that when he was the transportation minister in our province, and he could have,” said Horwath on Monday.

The election writ officially declaring June 2 as election day in Ontario and kicking off the campaign is expected to be issued on Wednesday.