Mayor Peter Kelly says now that a tentative deal reached between Metro Transit and Halifax Regional Municipality, a result of that deal may mean a rise in fares down the road.

Keeping the buses and ferries going is a money-losing operation.

Last year taxpayers contributed about $36 million in subsidies to Metro Transit, even with taxpayer funding, the system ran a deficit of about $2.5 million.

Currently, a single fare to ride the bus or the ferry in HRM is $2.25 for an adult, and the monthly pass is $70 — one of the lowest rates for transit across the country.

"As we go through it and compare ourselves to other parts of the country, the fare may have to be a part of that discussion," said Kelly.

Transit fares across Canada City Single trip Monthly pass Halifax $2.25 $70 Saint John $2.75 $70 Ottawa $3.25 $94 Winnipeg $2.45 $77 Edmonton $3 $84.65 Regina $2.50 $62

Though neither side has said how much the new contract will cost, the city had said its last offer was worth about $2.1 million, while the Amalgamated Transit Union's offer would have cost $7 million — a difference of $4.9 million.

Again, it's not clear what is in the new tentative deal.

The city saves about $85,000 for every weekday that the buses and ferries aren't operating, a bit less on weekends.

If Metro Transit gets going Friday, the savings in total would be roughly $3.3 million for the duration of the strike.

However even with the savings, it's not enough to cover what it costs to run transit, Kelly said.

A spokesperson for Metro Transit said Monday that there are no immediate plans to raise fares when the strike is over and that any increases would be a part of future budget discussions.