It means everyone, regardless of what service used, will pay $3.50, starting next Canada Day
If you use Niagara transit, changes are coming to fares next Canada Day.
The Niagara Transit Commission voted for conventional buses to go from $3 to $3.50, while on-demand service drops from $6 to $3.50.
Mayor Mat Siscoe noted the last increase was in 2017, and inflation has been worse. "One of the goals of the system, and of the on-demand portion of the system, is to bring people to the transit system, with the ultimate goal of hopefully shifting the areas that currently have on-demand over to conventional service."
Transit Commissioner Carla Stout added it'll be $3.50 for all service.
Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop hopes all riders will feel they're getting value for their money.
"If it had been somewhat moderate, and if it had been a small increase last year... the commission [transit], I think, agreed to that. But the council did not, and here we are, the 17% increase, instead of maybe an 8 or 9% increase."
Councillor Caleb Ratzlaff called the drop in price a wicked deal for those using on-demand service.