Ontario’s One Fare program marks the future of the province’s public transportation system
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the One Fare program provides commuters with “real, tangible relief.”
Starting February 26, public transit riders in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will only have to pay once when moving between the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and participating transit agencies, including GO Transit, Brampton Transit, Durham Region Transit, MiWay, and York Region Transit. The “One Fare” program is expected to save riders an average of C$1,600 each year by eliminating double fares for its riders.
As announced November 2023, transfers started on local transit will be valid for two hours and transfers started on GO Transit will be valid for three hours through the One Fare Program. Riders can pay with a PRESTO card, debit or credit card (physical or via mobile wallet) when boarding a TTC bus, a streetcar, or passing through a fare gate.
When transferring between rides, riders should tap the original method of payment on a PRESTO reader as their proof of payment.
Youths, adults, post-secondary students, seniors, and TTC Fair Discount Pass customers are all eligible for the program. Children under the age of 12 can travel for free on the TTC.
According to Metrolinx, the One Fare program supports the province’s 2041 Regional Transportation Plan, which aims to optimize the transportation system and transform transit in the GTA.
To make travel more affordable and convenient, Ontario is investing C$70.5 billion to reconstruct its entire public transit system. According to Ontario News, “By 2031, the province will introduce two-way, all-day GO train service, every 15 minutes in key corridors in the Greater Golden Horseshoe to connect more people to transit, jobs and housing for generations to come.”
Ontario’s investment will contribute to the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Hamilton Light Rail Transit project.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the government is on a mission to reduce costs for the “hardworking people of Ontario,” not only through the launch of One Fare but among other cost-saving initiatives. According to Ford, “Alongside the hundreds of dollars we’re saving for drivers by cutting the gas tax, scrapping road tolls and eliminating the licence plate sticker fee, we’re providing commuters with real, tangible relief.”
CEO of Metrolinx Phil Verster says, “Ontario’s One Fare Program is a major milestone for fare integration that helps connect more communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Programs like this will reduce barriers to cross-boundary travel and will bring more people to transit, estimating more than 20,000 new riders per day.”
According to Verster, Ontario’s efforts to improve the transit system do not stop with the launch of the One Fare program. “Metrolinx will continue working with the Ontario government to make taking transit from Brampton, Oshawa, or anywhere in between simpler, more convenient, and more affordable than ever before.”
With these new changes, the Ontario One Fare program is not only redefining the commuting experience for riders but also contributing to a more sustainable and accessible future for the GTA.
News Editor (Volume 48 & 50) — May is in her final year of undergraduate studies and is on her way to graduating with a double major in Criminology and Sociology. With more than 50 published articles, May has a wealth of experience writing for The Medium. May has also served as News Editor in Volume 48. She believes that news journalism is not just a privilege, but an important responsibility to report the unbiased truth.