City confirms new low-income bus fare despite slow start for EquiPass

The City of Ottawa's 2018 draft transit budget released Wednesday confirmed OC Transpo will offer low-income riders a $1.75 single fare next year calledEquiFare.

But theEquiPassprogram, its monthly equivalent, has been woefully undersubscribedsincebeing made available earlier this year.

• Transit Commission sticks to EquiPass price amid calls for lower fare
• Have a low income? You can now apply for an affordable OC Transpo pass

The EquiPass is specifically meant for those living below the annual low-income cutoff who don't qualify for other discounted passes. That cutoff is $20,386for a single person and $38,544 for a family of four.

OC Transpohas estimated that more than 8,800 people in Ottawa areeligible for the pass, but an average of just2,600 passes are sold each month. Transit officials said Wednesday they didn't know why more people haven't signed up for it.

The EquiPasscosts$57 per month, half the$113.75 cost ofa regular adult monthly pass but more than the $42-community pass available to those receiving disability assistance.

Transit advocates say that the cost of the EquiPass could be prohibitive for poorer people.

"Generally, we'd certainly love to see the cost of theEquiPassreduced," said Trevor Hachof the HealthyTransportationCoalition

The coalition and other advocacy groups had lobbied last year for a lower monthly price for the EquiPass, but were nonetheless pleased that a low-income pass had beenintroduced in Ottawa for the first time.

On Wednesday, Hach called EquiFarea positive step towards making transit affordable for more people.

"It'll help some of the poorest of the poor who could never even imagine being able to afford a $57-a-month EquiPass," he told CBC News.

Too soon to reduce EquiPasscost, says chair

The low take-up for theEquiPassmay also be caused by a lack of awareness, although OCTranspohas hired people to get the word out.

Coun. StephenBlais, who chairs the transit commission, said it's too soon to talk about lowering its cost.

"I'm not sure one-year statistics are really a foundationfor making a long-term decision," he told reporters Wednesday.

Blaissaid he wouldn't want to lower the price prematurely and then not be able to afford making the passes available to everyone who qualified.

Hachalso said the Presto card itself could be a "barrier" for low-income ridersbecause they cost $6 and are required to be able to use the new discounted EquiFare.

He said he'd like to see the cards distributed more liberally to low-income riders and suggested the city could use the money it's saving from the lower-than-expected take-up of theEquiPass tobuy Presto cards.

Fares going up 2.5%

Transit fares are heading north at the start of next year, with most fares increasing by about 2.5 per cent.

More routes added

The drafttransit operating budget, estimated at$519.6 million, also calls for the replacement of 80 busesand additional OCTranspobus routes in expanding areas of the city.