Ford Says 10-Cent TTC Fare Hike Could Be Coming

It’s the first major bombshell from the city’s new budget: TTC fares could go up by 10 cents.

“At this point, the staff-recommended budget includes a 10-cent fare increase,” TTC chair Karen Stintz confirmed at City Hall on Monday morning.

The hike could come as soon as February 1 if the transit system doesn’t meet its budget and it would be the second in a year. Riders were slapped with a 25-cent increase at the fare box in January 2010.

Mayor Rob Ford spoke to reporters before a meeting at City Hall on Monday.

Later, councillor Stintz said that TTC has seen increased ridership in recent years, which means extra expenses. 

However, she also said she knows the fare hike would be unpopular. 

“If there is a way to avoid this increase, we will find it,” Stintz said. 

The Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) responded to the proposed fare increase claiming TTC now stands for “Take the Car”.

“Rather than making the TTC more accessible to Torontonians, Mayor Ford’s budget encourages Torontonians to take their cars,” Jamie Kirkpatrick, Toronto Environmental Alliance’s Transit Campaigner, said in a statement Monday. “He eliminated the $60 vehicle registration tax in December and now wants to increase the annual cost of the Metropass by $60.”

Several councillors are upset with the burden placed on TTC riders.

“When I voted in favour of scrapping the vehicle registration tax, if I had known that that would have added a 10-cent fare increase on everyone who rides the TTC, I would not have voted for that,” said Coun. Paula Fletcher.”

Last week TEA helped launch a report that claims the now-scrapped Transit City initiative would’ve cost the city a fraction of Ford’s subway plan and would serve more people.

Fare Schedule

Proposed 10-cent fare increase

The following route changes are recommended for implementation on March 27, 2011. These changes are required to allow the TTC to increase service on routes where it is needed most due to record-level ridership. These improvements will be implemented in September 2011.

5 AVENUE RD – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

61 AVENUE RD NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

6 BAY – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

9 BELLAMY – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

8 BROADVIEW – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

120 CALVINGTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday to Saturd
ay. No service on Sundays and holidays.

20 CLIFFSIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

42 CUMMER – No service east of Kennedy Road after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service east of Kennedy Road on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

127 DAVENPORT – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

105 DUFFERIN NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

26 DUPONT – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

32 EGLINTON WEST – No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 32D (Eglinton West Stn-Jane & Emmett) service after 7:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. No 32A (Eglinton Stn-Renforth & Skymark) service west of Renforth on Saturdays.

15 EVANS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

33 FOREST HILL – No service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

135 GERRARD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

14 GLENCAIRN – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

122 GRAYDON HALL – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

169 HUNTINGWOOD – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays. No service on Sundays and holidays.

110 ISLINGTON SOUTH – No service on Horner Avenue or Browns Line to Long Branch Loop after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

43 KENNEDY – No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service after 7:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No 43B (Kennedy Stn-Scarborough Centre Stn via Progress) service on Sundays and holidays.

30 LAMBTON – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

162 LAWRENCE-DONWAY – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

56 LEASIDE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. No service west of Laird Drive to Eglinton Station Sunday/holiday daytime.

51 LESLIE – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

59 MAPLE LEAF – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

130 MIDDLEFIELD – No service after 10:00 p.m., every day.

132 MILNER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

116 MORNINGSIDE – No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 116A/E (Kennedy Stn-UofT Scarborough Express/Conlins)service on Saturday, Sundays, and holidays.

62 MORTIMER – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

74 MT PLEASANT – No service after 7:00 p.m., every day.

103 MT PLEASANT NORTH – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

72 PAPE – No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday, September-May. No 72A service south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners and Union Station after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays, September-May.

101 PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK – No service, September-May.

167 PHARMACY NORTH – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

80 QUEENSWAY – No off peak service east of Humber Loop, every day. No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

48 RATHBURN – No service after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

73 ROYAL YORK – No 73B (Royal York Stn-Eglinton & La Rose) service after 7:00 p.m., every day.

76 ROYAL YORK SOUTH – No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. No 76B (Royal York Stn-Queensway & Grand Ave) service on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

78 ST ANDREWS – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

86 SCARBOROUGH – No off peak 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) service. Service on 86D (Kennedy Stn-Beechgrove via Lawrence) to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

115 SILVER HILLS – No off peak service. Service to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

60 STEELES WEST – No off peak service west of Martin Grove to Highway 27. Service west of Martin Grove to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.

124 SUNNYBROOK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

55 WARREN PARK – No service after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

94 WELLESLEY – No service west of Wellesley Station after 10:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

112 WEST MALL – No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 10:00 p.m., Saturdays. No 112C (Kipling Stn-Disco Rd) service north of Eglinton Avenue after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays.

98 WILLOWDALE-SENLAC – No service after 10:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday. No service after 7:00 p.m., Sundays and holidays. No service east of Sheppard-Yonge Station, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

96 WILSON – No 96C/F off peak service to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard. Service on 96C (York Mills Stn-Tandridge & Thistle Down via Albion) to Tandridge Crescent or Thistle Down Boulevard to operate Monday-Friday morning and afternoon peak only.