Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said Monday he would reduce the cost of an adult OC Transpo monthly transit pass to $95 [2].
The move is part of a municipal election campaign effort to make public transportation more affordable for residents in Ottawa, Ontario.
The proposed price represents a $43 reduction [2] from the current adult monthly pass price of $138.50 [4]. This adjustment would result in a 30% cut [4] to the monthly cost for commuters using the city's transit system.
Sutcliffe said the pledge on Monday, Aug. 17, as a central pillar of his platform to increase accessibility to the city's transit network [1]. The reduction aims to lower the financial barrier for daily riders who rely on OC Transpo for their primary mode of transportation.
City officials have not yet detailed how the revenue loss from the fare reduction will be offset in the municipal budget. The pledge remains a campaign commitment subject to the outcome of the election and subsequent budget approvals.
“The proposed price represents a $43 reduction from the current adult monthly pass price.”
This proposal reflects a strategic shift toward prioritizing transit ridership over fare-box recovery. By lowering costs by 30%, the administration aims to incentivize a shift from private vehicles to public transit, though the long-term sustainability of the OC Transpo budget will depend on whether the city can secure alternative funding to cover the resulting revenue gap.
