Regina City Council to vote on bus fare hikes tonight
While Saskatoon grapples with a transit lockout, Regina City Council is focusing on its bus service, too — including some big fare increases.
Council is set to approve a 21 per cent increase to monthly fares at its regular meeting Monday night, although not everyone is delighted with that.
Under the plan councillors will vote on, single fares will increase to $2.75 from $2.50.
Monthly passes for adults will go up to $75 from $62, effectively January 2015.
The city wants to implement similar increases in 2016 and 2017.
The city says even with those increases, Regina's fares will still be cheaper than those in other Western Canadian cities.
But one city resident who's appearing as a delegation, John Klein, says raising fares without increasing bus service will only reduce demand.
He says extra money should be generated with a small increase to property taxes.
Another delegation representing University of Regina students says fare increases are an unfortunate, but unavoidable way to get more money into the system.
The student delegation wants to see a universal bus pass system created that would be paid for out of students fees. A referendum is planned for next spring.
