Ontario extending transit fare integration program by 2 years

Ontario’s fare integration program is being extended an additional two years, the Ford government says.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria announced the extension of OneFare, which the government says saves transit users in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) up to $1,600 per year, on Monday.

“With this extension, that can add up to $3,200 in savings over the next two years,” Sarkaria told reporters at a news conference in Toronto.

“OneFare ensures Ontarians’ hard-earned money stays in their pockets where it belongs.”

Last February, the Ford government launched OneFare and promised to eliminate the barriers for commuters switching between GTHA transit systems.

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Commuters changing from services like the TTC to MiWay or York Region transit used to pay a new fare for each municipal boundary they crossed — or when they switched to the GO train and bus network.

The new plan did away with second fares, charging customers a single fare and reimbursing transit agencies for the funds they should have collected.

For example, if a rider started on the TTC and then switched to a Brampton Transit bus, they would only pay to ride the TTC and the government would reimburse the Brampton Transit agency.

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Transfers are valid for two hours when a trip starts on local transit and for three hours when a trip starts on GO Transit.

Figures from the Ministry of Transportation showed the program quickly took off, with 35 million rides in just under a year.

As a result, the Ford government spent more than $113 million reimbursing different agencies for second fares. The TTC received the largest cheque from the province, which reimbursed it for $55 million worth of transit fares. Metrolinx received $26 million for lost fares on GO Transit and York Region Transit was reimbursed $17 million.

— With files from Global News’ Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello

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