TRANSIT & PARKING

Seniors and students should have affordable access to public transit. York Region should introduce a phased program with the eventual goal of eliminate fares for seniors and students while protecting service levels, beginning with those who need it most and evaluating ridership impacts.

Transit is a public service and residents deserve a transit system where decisions are made based on improving service, reliability, and affordability not on the needs of private contractors. I will support returning the YRT and VIVA to a public service operated by the region alone, to make sure we can achieve this I will support the following,

• No expansion of private operating contracts.

• Conduct a public review of current YRT/VIVA contracts.

• Publish a comparison of public vs. contracted operating costs.

• As contracts expire, evaluate bringing operations in-house.

• Maintain public ownership of all transit assets, planning, fares, and service decisions.

Transit fares should be designed to build ridership, not create barriers. York Region should develop a fairer and more flexible fare strategy that improves integration with TTC and GO Transit, encourages off-peak travel where appropriate, and protects affordability for workers, students, seniors, and residents who rely on transit every day.