Ontario Is Cutting Some Costs When Taking Transit & Here's What That Means For You
"New fare discounts will keep more money in the pockets of families and young people."
Ontario is making many changes happen this year, two highways will have their tolls removed, Ontario license plate stickers are gone forever, and COVID-19 restrictions are finally becoming a pastime. Now, the Ontario government is introducing new ways to make the life of a commuter more affordable.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario announced in a press release that they are making the transit system across the Greater Golden Horseshoe "more convenient and affordable."
The press release stated that starting March 14, Ontario will get rid of most double fares. This means that the fare to and from most local transit systems when using the GO Transit service will be eliminated. Additionally, they will increase PRESTO discounts for youth and post-secondary students.
So, get riding and start saving.
"As we cut costs for drivers, including by eliminating licence sticker renewal fees and removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418, we're also slashing fares to keep more money in the pockets of families and young people when they need it most and making it easier to get from point A to B," said Stan Cho, the Associate Minister of Transportation.
This means that starting March 14, "local transit will be free for riders connecting to and from GO Transit on municipal transit systems with GO Transit co-fare agreements."
"This means that a Mississauga adult who commutes back and forth using MiWay and GO Transit three days a week could save $250 annually on transit expenses," they added.
This applies to "Durham Region Transit, Milton Transit, Grand River Transit, Guelph Transit, Oakville Transit, MiWay, Brampton Transit, Hamilton Street Railway, Burlington Transit, Bradford West Gwillimbury Transit, York Region Transit, and Barrie Transit."
Additionally, youth and post-secondary PRESTO users can start applying discounts that have increased to 40% off a full adult fare, which is "almost double the current discount."
The discount applies to those using GO Transit or the UP Express.
"With students learning in-person, our government is making transit more affordable and accessible for them," said the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce.
"These fare discounts will save working families money, along with expanded access to free tutoring programs to help students get back on track," he added.