City bus fare options to be included in Saskatoon budget deliberations
By Brody Langager of Saskatoon StarPhoenix
it’s been almost a decade since Saskatoon’s transit fares were changed. November’s budget talks have options that could possibly change that.
Bus rates have been frozen since 2016, but a report to the transportation committee in early October reviewed the current state of Saskatoon Transit.
Data from the Canadian Urban Transit Association shows that in 2023, Saskatoon sat in the middle of the pack for transit ridership per capita when compared to other Canadian cities.
Operating expenses were on the low end, as were adult montSaskatoon had the lowest seniors monthly pass price, with Mike Jordan, the city’s chief public policy and government relations officer, describing it as abnormally low.
About 70 per cent of Saskatoon Transit bus operations are subsidized by the city, making it one of the highest rates in Canada. The highest rate in the sample set was held by Laval, Que. at 83.7 per cent, and the lowest was Brampton, Ont. at 35.5 per cent.
The city’s own data shows total fare revenue has grown past pre-pandemic levels.
A breakdown from the city shows that 8.72 per cent of the city’s general expenditures are spent on transit operations. Other areas like police, fire, road maintenance and corporate support has a higher percentage of the city’s general expenditures.hly pass prices.
The report to committee described Saskatoon Transit as having low fares, moderate ridership, low operating costs and high subsidization.
It noted that forms of subsidization through different monthly passes didn’t necessarily align with a rider’s ability to pay, and current subsidies are not targeted based on need.
The review comes as the Link Bus Rapid Transit system is being developed with a start date projected for 2028.
Article content
This isn’t the first time a transit fare increase has been considered. The 2023 budget meeting included options for the city to adjust transit fees by five per cent, 7.5 per cent or 10 per cent. Council at the time maintained the status quo.
Transit fare was also eliminated for kids in 2023.
An online survey is currently available on the city’s website looking for feedback on Saskatoon’s transit fare. The survey runs until Nov. 4, and the city said it is looking for feedback from both transit users and non-transit users.
The report to committee said focus groups and stakeholders are also being approached to give feedback.
Jordan mentioned the idea of fare capping, where someone no longer needs to pay a transit fare if they’ve taken the bus enough times within a certain time period.
Robert Clipperton, with Bus Riders of Saskatoon, said the timeline for feedback before options are brought forward isn’t enough, and more public consultation should be done.
“We hope the city looks deeper than the bottom line,” Clipperton said.
He worried that an uninformed decision could result in fare evasion and a drop in revenue for the city.
Some of the things teased for budget deliberations in the last week of November were potential structural changes to the transit fare system, as well as options and engagement analysis. Budget implications will also be highlighted in the upcoming report.