The new system will replace all existing reduced fare programs and is set to begin next spring

Regional Council unanimously approved the program, which will use income as the sole determining factor for eligibility.

Before, being a student or a senior could qualify you for reduced fare programs, but this will render those obsolete.

To be considered low income an individual would have to earn less than $18,340, or a household of four, or less earning less than $36,870.

Regional Councillor Elizabeth Clarke spoke about why this decision was made.

"We have a lot of people living in poverty in our region, around 40,000. Anything we can do to help make things easier to help them buy food or pay rent, a program like this can have a huge impact on families lives." she told Kitchener Today with Brian Bourke on 570 NEWS.

She would go on to say that she is a proponent of free public transit, but current budget constraints make that unfeasible.

The program still requires some further approval down the line as more information is gathered, but the unanimous support makes it appear likely to pass.

It's ancipated it will start in the spring of 2020.

Council voted down a proposed three-year rollout of the program.