Ottawa will introduce a low-income transit pass in 2017. The pass is expected to cost $57 per month, and around 4,700 people will be eligible.
A low-income transit pass is a step in the right direction to help residents who live below the poverty line, as well as part-time and summer students who don’t qualify for a U-Pass.
However, if only 4,700 people are eligible it’s unlikely students will qualify for this low-income transit pass.The city should examine options in the future to make the pass accessible to more people.
The expected cost is also a bit higher than some low-income transit pass advocates were expecting. A spokesperson for City for All Women Initiative told the Ottawa Citizen that a low-income transit pass in Ottawa should not cost more than $41.75 per month, which is the same price as a community pass available to Para Transpo customers.
Adult monthly Presto passes in Ottawa currently cost $105.75, and a reduction of more than half that amount would greatly benefit low-income individuals, especially students who don’t have a U-Pass.
At $57, the cost of the proposed low-income pass is still significantly more affordable than the current adult monthly pass.
Other cities, including Kingston and Hamilton, already offer low-income residents “affordable” monthly transit passes, and it’s about time Ottawa introduced something similar.
