A Hamilton-based labour agency is set to make a pitch to expand existing free and subsidized transit programs in the city.
The Hamilton District Labor Council (HDLC) is recommending free or low-cost rides on HSR buses for students, people over 60 and those on government supports when councillors meet for a budget meeting next week.
“While our ultimate goal is free or low-cost public transit for all in the city, we are prepared to work on a graduated approach to ensure some of our community’s most vulnerable people have the most access,” the HDLC says in a “Care Fare” online petition seeking signatures.
The proposal is targeting demographics that typically have lower than average annual revenues, including students 17 and under, residents 60 and older, and anyone accessing Ontario Works or with a disability.
Anthony Marco, president of the HDLC, admits the proposal will have significant budget implications, but suggests the impact would not be as significant as some would think.
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“For the most part, these are going to be riders who either can’t afford to or would probably not choose to ride anyway,” Marco explained.
“You’re not losing a lot of revenue necessarily here, what you’re doing is filling up empty spaces on the bus.”
The ask comes just days after East Hamilton (Ward 4) Coun. Tammy Hwang dropped the notion of “free HSR” during a council meeting.
Hwang told 900 CHML’s Good Morning Hamilton the idea came to her while on the campaign trail in October 2022 when climate action group Hamilton 350 posed the question to candidates.
At stake is not only a perk for residents with tight budgets but also the prospect of taking cars off the road and ensuring the city can hit climate change objectives.
“We’re also looking at this from just an equalization and being much more of an attractive city for investment because it’s about increasing quality of life,” Hwang said.
“It’s also around allowing employers to signal to employers that we’re really focusing on how are we building a better Hamilton for their workforce as well.”
HSR director of transit Maureen Cousin Heath told councillors last week that the transit operator has budgeted to take in some $47 million in revenues going forward.
Currently, the city offers free transit to seniors as well as children 12 and under but only temporarily basis amid a “rebuild ridership” program intended to restore usage to pre-pandemic levels.
Hwang says “alternative revenue models” would play a major part in any free transit initiative and are a topic she wants on the agenda during “big strategic” talk during the current council term.
Some 40 U.S. cities, including large centres like Kansas City, Mo., Washington, D.C., Boston and San Francisco, Calif., currently offer free transit in some form to residents, some through pilot programs.
Hwang says the success of those could be paramount in a potential argument for free transit in Hamilton.
“The fact is, this is not something new,” she said.
“This is a business case that they’ve kind of come and picked at every couple of years or so.”
Until then, HSR fares will increase in September by 10 cents a ride.
The additional revenue will aid the next phase of Hamilton’s transit growth strategy in 2023, which is adding 14 more buses and 43 additional staff to provide another 49,000 service hours.