Halifax Transit affordability project in final stages

Being able to afford a transit pass could get a lot easier for some Haligonians if a proposed bylaw gets the green light at city council.

The first reading for a bylaw related to a transit pass pilot program took place Tuesday afternoon. If approved, the program would make monthly transit passes more affordable for low-income residents in HRM.

“We already offer many incentives in many different ways for people to use the bus. This is just, I think recognizing there’s another group in our community, low income people, that also should have an opportunity to participate in this type of program as well,” said District 8 Councillor Jennifer Watts.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We already offer many incentives in many different ways for people to use the bus. This is just, I think recognizing there's another group in our community, low income people, that also should have an opportunity to participate in this type of program as well," said District 8 Councillor Jennifer Watts.

Participants would be able to purchase transit passes for 50 per cent off the regular price on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Eligible residents must have an income below $31,000 and not be receiving other transit assistance.

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The pilot is only open to 500 people, although officials admit there are tens of thousands of people who fit the criteria.

“It’s hard to get an exact number. We do know that as of a few years ago, there was about 34,000 that would have met the Stats Canada low-income cut off, which is a slightly different metric. We do anticipate it would be around that number today,” Patricia Hughes, with Halifax Transit said.

“There are more than 7,000 that do receive a transportation subsidy from the province that wouldn’t be eligible, so certainly somewhere around 25,000 would be a good estimate.”

Councillor Russell Walker likes the idea of having the price cut in half for low income people, but wants to see more.
Walker wants the rates for low-income people to be the same as what university students would pay.

“So they’ll pay the same as college students per year, approximately $170 a year. This is a good start, but it’s from approximately $980 dollars down to $480 but there’s many, many families that can’t afford $480,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "So they'll pay the same as college students per year, approximately $170 a year. This is a good start, but it's from approximately $980 dollars down to $480 but there's many, many families that can't afford $480," he said.

The matter returns to council next month. If councillors approve the proposal, the pilot program would start on September 1 and be re-evaluated after six months.