Toronto Councillor Josh Matlow fears people will end up being gouged by high fares and a special tax to travel on the rapid transit line from Union Station to Pearson airport.

Matlow is looking to ensure fares are affordable — meaning less than the planned $20 to $30 per person Metrolinx is looking at charging. And he wants to scrap a $2 special fee that would compensate the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) for lost parking revenue.

“If Toronto council stays quiet, it’s essentially supporting the wrong plan, which is unfair and unaffordable,” he told the Star.

Matlow has crafted a motion asking city council to take a strong stand at next week’s meeting.

Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency building the $456-million rail link, hasn’t announced final fares but said earlier this month that they are expected to be between $20 to $30, plus the airport fee.

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Taking a trip from Union Station to Pearson in an airport limo currently costs $58; it’s about $55 by taxi. That means it could end up being cheaper for couples to take private vehicle services to their flights than to take the new rail line.

The Toronto Airport Express bus is about $27, but that service is slated to end Oct. 31.

Matlow says a trip on the new Union Pearson (UP) Express airport train should cost closer to the price of the TTC’s $3 cash fare.

He noted that many airports are connected to the local transit system.

In Vancouver, for example, the trip from the airport to downtown costs $9, dropping to $7.75 at night and on weekends.

“The Union Pearson Express should be something that is celebrated,” Matlow said. “I think Metrolinx will find a lot of upset people if the only rapid transit link to the airport is unaffordable.”

The councillor is hoping for broad support when his motion is considered by council next week.

However, Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the airport link was not meant to be like transit. Aimed at time-pressed business executives, the trip will take 25 minutes, with trains departing every 15 minutes.

“Business travellers are used to paying the cost of a cab and this will definitely be cheaper than the cost of a cab from downtown,” Aikins said. “It’s looking to be comparable to the express bus.”

Matlow said he doesn’t understand the airport parking fee that is expected to be tacked on to UP Express fares. The agreement between the GTAA and Metrolinx calls for a fee of $1.85 expressed in 2011 dollars. When inflation is added, the tab is expected to come to about $2.

“It’s one thing to pay for parking, but people shouldn’t be paying for not parking. It’s crazy.”

Aikins said Metrolinx couldn’t do anything about the charge, which was insisted on by the GTAA that runs the airport.

“That was something that the GTAA requires,” she said. “We had no control over that. We had to agree to that if we wanted to build a station there.”

GTAA spokesperson Corrinne Madden said the airport must raise revenues to cover its costs, and non-aeronautical fees, such as parking, form an important component of revenues.

The fee only recovers a portion of lost revenues, Madden said.

The current agreement between Metrolinx and the GTAA — a private, non-profit entity — establishes a base fee of $1.85, subject to inflation, she said, adding the final fare will be decided later this year.

Airport rail line fees around the world

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Vancouver

Vancouver International Airport to downtown via the TransLink transit line: 15 km, $9

New York City

Newark AirTrain to Penn Station: 27 km, $12.50 U.S. ($13.61 Canadian)

JFK AirTrain to Manhattan, linking to subway: 26 km, $7.50 U.S. ($8.16 Canadian)

Chicago

O’Hare International Airport to downtown via Chicago Transit Authority trains: 30 km, $5 U.S. ($5.44 Canadian)

Midway International Airport to downtown using Chicago Transit Authority trains: 17 km, $2.25 U.S. ($2.45 Canadian)

San Francisco

San Francisco International Airport to downtown via Bay Area Rapid Transit: 22 km, $8.25 U.S. ($8.98 Canadian)

London

Heathrow Express train to London: 24 km, £21 ($38.25 Canadian)

Barcelona

Barcelona-El Prat Airport to city centre via Renfe train: 57 km, 2.15 to 10.30 euros ($3.13 to $14.98 Canadian)

Seoul

Incheon Airport Railroad Express to downtown Seoul: 14,500 won ($15.50 Canadian)

Jonathan Forani

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