Brampton Transit has tabled a motion to city council to increase transit fares in May for adults and other fare categories.

Revealed in the latest budget committee document (page 82), the city’s transit agency has set out plans to increase adult PRESTO e-fares by 10 cents, from $3.00 to $3.10.

Other changes for the adult category include weekly passes increasing by $1.00 to $34.00 and monthly passes increasing by $4.00 to $128.00.

Brampton Transit has said that the increase in fares is due to pressures from continuing double-digit ridership increases of 14 per cent in the last year.

Currently, the transit agency makes 50 per cent of all operational funding from fares, higher than Mississauga (46 per cent), Montreal (46 per cent) and York Region Transit (40 per cent).

There is also a need to bolster transit services in the area of Goreway Drive and Steeles Avenue, due to the start of construction of new road-rail bridge this year, as well to try and mitigate overcrowding on 40 per cent of service.

Anyone who uses the Smart Commute program to buy discounted Brampton Transit passes will have their monthly pass increased by $3.40 to $108.80. Similarly, the city’s discounted pass for employees will go up $2.00 to $64.00.

What may be a concern to non-profits, who buy special tickets in bulk to give out to their clients, is that the city plans to increase the special strip of 10 tickets from $30.00 to $31.00.

GTA Weekly Passes will increase to $64.95, as determined by the other partners in the program.

Youth fares were the last to increase, and children’s fares decreased last September. Council also voted for a further decrease in seniors fares that could lead to major revenue losses.

Fares, if approved, would increase on May 12, 2019. The last fare increase was on March 5, 2018.

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