Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Student fare for TTC going up

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Ottawa Transit Challenge -Défi transport en commun d'Ottawa

Ottawa Transit Riders is organizing the second annual Ottawa Transit Challenge, along with Ecology Ottawa, Healthy Transportation Coalition, and Free Transit Ottawa!
Please join city councillors, staff, and supporters and commit to riding the bus/train/Para Transpo for seven days, from February 17- 23, 2020!

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Les usagers du transport en commun d'Ottawa organisent la deuxième édition annuelle du Défi transport en commun d'Ottawa, en collaboration avec Écologie Ottawa, la coalition pour les transports sains, et Transport en commun gratuit Ottawa!
Veuillez vous joindre aux conseillers municipaux, au personnel et aux partisans et vous engager à prendre l'autobus ou le train ou Para Transpo pendant sept jours, du 17 au 23 février 2020!

Monday, February 17, 2020

Public transit advocates confronted by security at Ottawa city hall

Saturday, February 15, 2020

TTC abuses riders and the public in general

Imagine, though, if your Mazda 3 greeted you every time you got in it with a, “Hey, you delinquent criminal!” It doesn’t matter if you’re not delinquent and did nothing wrong, you still get the message every time you or your passengers get in.
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/02/14/fare-evasion-may-be-a-problem-but-the-culture-shift-we-need-is-a-respect-for-transit-riders.html 

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Guelph, ON, fare-free for youth takes a step forward

Mayor Cam Guthrie announced Friday that he wants free bus rides for high school students and children under 13.
Speaking at the annual State of the City address, he said the plan will be brought to council shortly https://www.guelphtoday.com/local-news/mayor-to-introduce-plan-plan-for-free-transit-for-high-school-students-and-kids-under-13-2076839

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Idea of #freepublictransit gaining traction

In order to make public transportation a truly public service, cities across North America should eliminate rider fare.
A recent New York Times article explored the conversation happening in several American cities around waiving fare on public buses. The idea, which is gaining traction in US cities, has had tangible effects: the mayor of Lawrence, Mass., has implemented a two-year pilot eliminating the fare on the city’s buses with promising results.

Effective public transportation is a basic need. It enables people to get to grocery stores to buy their food, and it allows them to pursue employment opportunities outside walking distance of their homes. Free public transit would be a positive step towards providing people with equal access to mobility within the area they live.
https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2020-02-11/editorials/free-public-transportation-could-get-cities-further/

Barrie City Councillor supports #freepublictransit

Saturday, February 8, 2020

ATU Canada supports #freepublictransit

“ATU Canada advocates for fares to be affordable for all, and advocates for progress toward creating a fare-free transit..."
https://freetransitottawa.ca/free-public-transit-in-canada/ 

Trudeau owned by energy industry

Monday, February 3, 2020

Good media coverage of Free Transit Ottawa - @freetransitott

Free Transit Ottawa’s campaign launch featured several city representatives, including Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menard, who said these issues align with what he has been campaigning on since the beginning of his political career. 
“100 municipalities across the world have free transit right now,” he said. “We even have free transit in Canada—in Calgary, Victoria—it’s possible in different capacities.” 
“We all benefit collectively from free transit, and it’s a service that should be funded for people the same way our roads, our bridges, and our light poles are,” he added.
https://charlatan.ca/2020/01/activists-advocate-for-free-public-transit/? 

Sunday, February 2, 2020

London, ON, courageous council member stands up against #racism, #classism

Toronto - fares to rise for university students

This year they chose students to be their victim. Specifically, the 2020 TTC Operating Budget singled out the Post-Secondary Student Metropass, raising the price from $122.45 to $128.15. This may seem like a measly sum of an extra $5.70 per month, but think clearly about the implications of this. This increase is proportionally larger than any other TTC increase that has been proposed this cycle. Additionally, the rising cost of living in Toronto continues to push students and other residents into substandard, illegal, or dangerous housing situations. 
City Council has the power to levy various increases in other areas too, from a revival of the $60 vehicle registration tax — which would generate over $55 million — to minor increases in the property tax that amount to the cost of a few coffees per year. Funnily enough, City Council generally rejects these proposals, but is fine asking students to pay an extra $68.40 per year to use our public transit system.
https://thevarsity.ca/2020/02/02/op-ed-the-city-balances-its-budget-on-the-backs-of-students/

Petition against fare increase:
https://joshmatlow.ca/student-transit/