You’re speaking, we’re listening.
Preliminary results from CAWI’s Transit Therapy Line are in, and the message is clear: We need reliable, accessible and affordable public transit in Ottawa.
“Unreliable transit is making living with a disability even harder.”
“I’m spending less time with my children because we all need to leave the house earlier to get to school or work.” [Increase in travel time]
“I’m needing to take a full day off work just to get to one medical appointment.” [Increase in travel time]
97% of participants surveyed have said new ways to bus transit has not improved transit in Ottawa.
The City’s 2026 budget will increase transit fare by 2.5% (now $4.10 per ride), a fare increase of 2.3% ($11 per ride) for rural Para Transpo riders and an increase of 1.9% for Para Transpo Access pass riders. Since this term of Council was elected in 2022, we’ve seen a 12% increase in single-ticket adult transit fares. At the same time, we are seeing less reliable service and inaccessibility.
Why are transit fares increasing while transit riders are getting less?
Recommendations:
- Freeze OC Transpo transit fares. We need affordability, accessibility and reliability!
- Freeze transit fares for Para Transpo riders with an Access Pass and rural transit riders.
- Provide free transit fare for recipients receiving housing subsidy or income support.
- Instate “free days” for all seniors taking OC Transpo OR Para Transpo.
- Apply the Equipass and Community Pass discount to Rural Zone Para Transpo riders.
- Reinstate youth discounted transit passes. As one of the largest non-driving segments of our population, transit must be considered as their right to the city.
We want 2026 to see an equitable and caring city budget.
We applaud the City for increasing the budget to ANCHOR by $700 000. Investment into programs that support our community where they are at is critical.
At the same time, the 2026 budget for police will increase by 5%. This is in addition to the 12% increase already incurred since 2022. We know the City doesn’t have infinite money. As such, police are funded at the expense of other essential municipal services. At the same time, we are seeing marginal increases to community services and a 3% increase in user fees for community and recreational programming.
- Reverse the scales! Redistribute the 5% increase for policing to community programming, mental health supports and transitional housing.
Lastly, in this upcoming budget we want to see 0.01% of the budget allocated to pilot participatory budgeting – meaning a portion of the budget would ACTUALLY be decided through participatory democracy, a foundation element to building a Caring City. Let the people decide how the City should spend its money.