It was announced earlier this week that Halifax Transit fares will be increasing next year by 25 cents, to $2.75

It was announced earlier this week that Halifax Transit fares will be increasing next year by 25 cents, to $2.75.

But the timing of the announcement caught some off-guard.

"We had a very short time, literally just hours to put together our response," says Bill Van Gorder, Atlantic representative for the Canadian Association of Retired People.

Originally, the municipality had planned to eliminate the senior's discount, meaning seniors would pay the same as everyone else -- up a full dollar from the current $1.75.

"They didn't have any discussions with seniors or seniors groups about this prior," Van Gorder tells NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show.

But since the original backlash, councillor Waye Mason has put forward a proposition to increase senior fares by 25 cents, to $2 total.

"Nobody likes to see prices go up, but costs go up and I think that's acceptable under the circumstances," Van Gorder says. "Certainly much more acceptable than the 64 per cent increase they were talking about."

The CARP representative says it's important to consider that many seniros are on a fixed income.

"Nova Scotia has the highest percentage of low-income seniors in the country, and it's not high-income seniors who use the buses, it's people on fixed incomes," Van Gorder explains.

Van Gorder says there is an existing subsidy for seniors, but it only applies to people who are very low income.

"These are seniors who are making less than 16 or 17,000 dollars a year in income. Or couples that are making 28,000 on fixed incomes," he says.

Those who make anything more than that have no assistance for transportation, except seniors rides, which are free between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesdays.

"But that doesn't help seniors who have to get to appointments, who have to get to part-time jobs, who have to move around the city," Van Gorder adds. "It's a nice little extra but it does not solve the problem for seniors who have to regularly use public transportation.

Van Gorder says the increase for seniors was intended to help subsidise rides for young children, which the city is also considering.

"I don't think anybody would disagree that it's a good idea to get our young people used to riding the buses," he says. "But don't make the seniors pay for the fact they want to have more children riding the bus."

Municipal council is expected to debate 2020 bus fares at their upcoming meeting on August 13.