TTC Board approves 2019 budgets with 10-cent fare increase

The TTC’s Board today approved the 2019 operating budget that protects recent service improvements and adds 10 cents to most fare types except adult cash fare.

Services protected in the budget include:

- The new two-hour hop-on, hop-off transfer
- Capacity improvement initiatives, including more subway, bus and streetcar service
- Allowing kids 12 and under to ride free
- Opening of the Line 1 extension to York Region
- 10-minutes or better network
- Restoring all-day, every day bus service
- Expanding the Express Bus and Blue Night networks
- Introducing early Sunday opening

In developing the nearly $2.1 billion budget for conventional and Wheel Trans services, the TTC found $135 million in efficiencies and offsets without impacting service. In addition to the $26 million a fare increase will yield, the budget calls for an additional $22 million subsidy from the City of Toronto.

This keeps the average fare increase over the last two years below the rate of inflation. Fares did not rise in 2018.

“This budget allows us to retain the important investments in public transit services Toronto Council has approved over the past several years,” said TTC Chair Jaye Robinson. “Increasing fares is always a last resort, but in order to protect those services, we need to strike a balance between what’s affordable to our customers and to the residents of Toronto.”

The Board also approved the TTC’s $10.3 billion 2019-2028 capital budget that invests in longer-term projects to reduce crowding, keep the system in a state of good repair, improve accessibility, purchase new vehicles and build the Line 2 East Extension.

The fare increase is scheduled to take effect on April 1. Please see the attached graphic for more details.