Halifax Transit fare increase ‘disappointing,’ advocate says

CITYnews halifax / By Mark Hodgins

A local advocate says an incoming fare increase for buses and ferries in Halifax will have a big impact on people struggling to make ends meet who depend on transit.

“Transit is critical to connect people to their jobs, school, health care and other services,” Ashleigh Boers, Senior Transportation Coordinator with the Ecology Action Centre, told 95.7 NewsRadio in an interview. “So we need reliable, but also affordable transit services.”

As of Sep. 1, single-ride fares will go up by 25 cents to $3 for an adult. The increase brings Halifax in line with cities like Moncton and Fredericton, while remaining lower than Quebec City.

But Boer says a lack of reliability is an issue for Halifax Transit, in part due to human resources problems. She says Halifax needs to pay operators a living wage.

“Transit operators are green jobs and are critical to a more sustainable future, so the more bus drivers we have the more we’d be able to increase those services and increase the reliability of transit.”

The municipality said the fare increase would bring in an additional $1.2 million for Halifax Transit in future years. The organizations’ budget for this fiscal year is just under $68.3 million.

Boer says transit systems are a “public good,” and the Ecology Action Centre continues to call for better national subsidization of public transit.