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

@KeenanAylwin

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

Trudeau ran and was elected on a broken promise to amend #BillC51 and protect Canada’s civil liberties.

Will the PM acknowledge that Indigenous communities, environmentalists, workers , and social justice activists are NOT in fact enemies of the state? #WetsuwetenStrong pic.twitter.com/mGaW9kdhlq

— Matthew Green 🍊 (@MatthewGreenNDP) February 7, 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/? 

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

https://twitter.com/ArielkeK

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/analysis-move-to-expel-councillor-from-budget-debate-fails-as-talks-turn-ugly

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/