Ottawa seniors seething about massive hike in OC Transpo pass price

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An Ottawa agency that advocates for the well being of the elderly is shocked and confused by the city’s 2025 draft budget, which includes a whopping 120 per cent increase in the price of monthly OC Transpo fares for seniors.

“We feel blindsided,” said Sarah Bercier, executive director of the Council on Aging of Ottawa. “They had mentioned that they were reviewing ridership and rates, but by no means had they given us any indication that seniors would be bearing the brunt (of the increases).”

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With OC Transpo facing a $120-million shortfall, something had to give.

However, few expected the hard financial blow that is coming to seniors. The cost of a monthly pass will rise to $108 from the current $49. The increase in single rides for seniors — to $3.20 from $2.90 — is in line with OC Transpo price hikes in other categories.

“For us, we’re really looking for answers to a number of questions,” said Bercier, who has been flooded by phone calls from those who will be affected the most. “What kind of data led to the decision? People who rely on public transit will be impacted the most. People who own cars usually use their cars, but people who can’t drive are facing quite a big change.”

The agency says 23 per cent of seniors in the city use OC Transpo at least once per month and Bercier suggests seniors could react to the change by limiting their bus usage or avoiding it altogether.

“Will it reduce socialization? Will it cut down on the volunteering or errands? We’re looking to put out our own survey on what the reaction will be. Low-income seniors are most likely to be hurt.”

She argues that at least six Canadian cities, including Montreal, Hamilton, Orangeville, Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington offer free rides for seniors.

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A monthly seniors pass in Toronto costs $128. In Edmonton, those over 65 pay $35 a month. A yearly seniors pass to use Calgary’s public transit is $154 and seniors are charged $415 annually in Hamilton.

Another concern for the agency is that the draft budget for OC Transpo didn’t include any mention about the future of free senior ridership days. Currently, seniors don’t pay on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The draft budget included OC Transpo price hikes across the board, but none of the other jumps exceeded six per cent.

Standard adult monthly fares are increasing to $135 from $128.75 and single adult cash fares are increasing by 20 cents to $4.05. Semester passes for university students are going up to $240.52 from $229.07, three-day passes will be $30 ($28.50) and an unlimited one-day charge jumps to $12 ($11.75).

The budget did not alter the monthly Para Transpo charge of $43.25. The EquiPass, for people who are below a low-income threshold, will also remain untouched, at $58.25 per month.

Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower, who chairs the city’s Transit Commission, recognizes that the price increases are not popular, particularly the changes to seniors rates.

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He says the Transit Commission did a thorough examination of where to best make changes across the board, also analyzing transit rates across Canada.

“One of the fare discount categories stood out,” he said.

The price for a standard adult monthly bus pass, Gower says, is roughly equivalent to the price of 34 single trips. The existing seniors’ monthly pass is roughly the same cost as 16 or 17 trips.

Gower says the fate of the free seniors days is “still part of the discussion” before the draft budget is finalized.

So, too, is the possibility that the city could expand the eligibility requirements for the EquiPass, helping out low-income seniors.

Bercier recognizes that the city needs to make tough decisions to help the problem-plagued OC Transpo and wants to retain a “respectful” dialogue with the city.

“We want to work with them,” she said. “Every city has to work with what they’ve got, but we feel seniors have been unfairly singled out.”

kwarren@postmedia.com

X: Citizenkwarren

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