What to know
- The TTC board has approved its $3-billion 2026 operating budget, which includes fare capping and a fare freeze for the third year in a row.
- Under the plan, riders will be able to travel free after 47 trips per month starting later this year, with the cap expected to drop to 40 trips in 2027.
- Transit advocates, including TTCriders, say the changes will make transit more affordable and create a fairer alternative to costly monthly passes.
- The budget requires final approval from city council and includes a request for $1.48 billion from the city, a 6.8-per cent increase.
Transit advocates are applauding the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) after the agency approved its 2026 operating budget, which includes fare capping and a fare freeze for riders.
The $3-billion budget was debated and approved by the TTC board on Wednesday. It aims to make transit more affordable by capping fares and allowing riders to travel for free after 47 trips per month, beginning later this year.
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Riders will also avoid a fare increase for the third consecutive year. Transit advocacy group TTCriders is calling the measures a win.
“A fare freeze and fare capping mean riders will save money, have more predictable costs, and won’t be punished for needing to take transit frequently,” Executive Director Andrew Pulsifer said in a statement on Wednesday.
TTCriders has long urged both the agency and the city to adopt fare capping as a “fairer alternative” to requiring riders to purchase a monthly pass, which currently costs $156 for adults and $128.15 for seniors, youth, and post-secondary students.
“For years, riders have been paying more than their fair share to keep the system running,” Pulsifer said. “This budget is an important step toward a more equitable fare system that works for people who choose not to pay the exorbitant cost of a monthly pass, one of the highest in North America.”
Late last year, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced plans to push for fare capping as part of efforts to make transit more affordable.
The fare-capping program is expected to launch in September, with the TTC planning to lower the cap to 40 rides per month in 2027.
“Choosing to invest in affordability sends a clear message that transit is a public service, not a luxury,” Pulsifer added. “This decision will help retain riders, support ridership growth, and make Toronto a more affordable city to live in.”
While the changes will reduce costs for some riders, the $3-billion operating budget comes at a significant price for the transit agency. The TTC is requesting $1.48 billion from the city, an increase of approximately 6.8 per cent.
The budget will require final approval from city council next month.
