“People living outside of our city pay zero Ottawa property taxes or the transit levy that funds our system,” Blais said in a statement. “It’s time that these people begin paying their fair share of the costs associated with their use of OC Transpo.”
According to Blais, the city has raised express transit passes by 50 per cent since 2004 while inflation has been only 11.24 per cent.
“By creating an out-of-Ottawa pass, we can inject more revenue into our transit system without burdening Ottawa taxpayers,” Blais continued. “It’s time we give transit riders change from skyrocketing fare increases.”
The Cumberland candidate’s call for a separate out-of-Ottawa pass comes about a week after OC Transpo increased fares. As of Monday, March 1 the cost for passes, tickets and even photo identification and park and ride permits increased.
A regular adult pass is now $91.50, up from $84.75. Regular adult cash fare has jumped to $3.25 from $3.00. Adults will now have to shell out $2.50 for tickets to ride the bus instead of $2.30. O-Train ticket prices, meanwhile, have increased from $2.50 to $2.75.
Blais calls for ‘out-of-Ottawa’ transit pass
Blais calls for ‘out-of-Ottawa’ transit pass
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- Published on March 9th, 2010
- Published on April 30th, 2010
- Patricia Lonergan
Cumberland Ward candidate Stephen Blais is calling for a separate OC Transpo pass for riders who live outside city limits.
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Comments
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- Mark McIsaac
- - April 30th, 2010 at 13:43:39
http://www.417busline.com/eng/index.htm http://www.russell.ca/en/Public_Transit_20/items/Autobus_Bergeron_Bus_Lines_2.html Why is OC Transpo even out of the City limits when it isn't efficient enough to run in rural Ottawa? It is a money loser and is having a negative impact on urban service and usage. I don't expect Mr. Blais to "save" us any money but PLEASE cut the loses.
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- Stephen Blais
- - April 30th, 2010 at 13:43:39
Mark: I am NOT proposing we have OC Transpo go outside of Ottawa. What we should do is charge residents who live outside of Ottawa and who make their way to park and rids and use our system more. Because they don't pay property taxes or the transit levy. I agree, there are enough problems we need to deal with at OC Transpo to start making trips outside of Ottawa.
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- Mark McIsaac
- - April 30th, 2010 at 13:43:39
Stephen I apologize, I thought I saw an OC bus stop in Rockland a while back. Can we not negotiate more Park and Rides in Clarence-Rockland? They work fine in Limoges and one is shared with OCT in Vars (Russell side of the 417). Charging more may put more people back in their cars. There were and still are viable private transportation alternatives. Servicing park and rides outside Ottawa with private companies will free up space at Place D'Orleans which is dependent on mall parking spaces now. May even limit the cars skipping Place D'Orleans and going to Blair to avoid the "LRT transfer" later. Granted this may not happen.
