Toronto transit riders were holding their breath throughout Monday hoping that city hall and the TTC would find ways to avoid a 10-cent fare hike, including an extra $5 to the monthly regular adult Metropass, which would cost Toronto residents $60 per year.
More than 24 hours after Mayor Rob Ford’s announcement at a
press conference, Karen Stintz, TTC Chairman and city councillor, confirmed at a news conference Tuesday afternoon that the fare increase will not go ahead, according to
CP24.
Stintz stated Monday morning: “The mayor doesn’t want a 10-cent fare increase, I do not want a 10-cent fare increase, the TTC doesn’t want a 10-cent fare increase and nobody in this city wants a 10-cent fare increase if we can find a way to avoid it.”
The new TTC Chairman explained that the city found the extra $24 million that the TTC would have raised through a fare increase. The
Toronto Star reports that the city found $16 million and the TTC managed to find $8 million.
Specifics will be released when staff members release details of the found money.
Furthermore, busy routes will receive additional service and there will be no service cuts.