Saskatoon transit fare, frequency and hours debated during budget talks
By Brody Langager of Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Saskatoon bus riders will be paying higher fares in 2026 and 2027, but city council also debated bus frequency and hours of operation during budget deliberations at City Hall this week.
City administration offered four fare options for city council to choose from. The first maintains the status quo with prices while the second sees the price of fare rise by five per cent each year.
The third option (recommended by administration) would take an equitable approach to fare by freezing prices for low-income pass holders, increasing prices by five per cent for seniors and students, and implementing a 10 per cent increase for adult passes and tickets.
The fourth option considers a sliding scale for fare based on income. Cash and ticket prices are set at $3.25 and $3.00, but passes would have a baseline price of $90, with different reductions depending on one’s income bracket.
City administration said the financial implications aren’t straightforward for the fourth option, but estimates a $131,000 revenue decline in 2026.
Other recommendations within the report include looking at things like technology for fare capping, engaging with stakeholders, and simplifying the fare structure. Fare prices haven’t been updated since 2016.
Ward 1 Coun. Kathryn MacDonald wanted the topic to be deferred until December’s governance and priorities committee to allow for a more thorough consideration of the issue, but her motion was defeated on a 9-2 vote.
Robert Clipperton with Bus Riders of Saskatoon said more engagement with stakeholders is needed. He said he was one of two people who attended a recent focus group.
Darcy Pederson, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 615 that represents bus drivers in Saskatoon, said the city needs dedicated transit enforcement because right now, nobody has the authority to remove people from buses.
He said police respond to issues on buses when they can, but it’s not enough.
“So you wait, hoping things don’t get worse … hope is not a safety plan,” Pederson said.
Riders will avoid bus terminals and stops they don’t feel safe at, he said, noting the proposal in the agenda to raise transit fares without enforcement is just wishful budgeting.
The third fare option, and the other administration recommendations, passed on Thursday.
Ward 9 Coun. Bev Dubois made a motion pushing for more frequent transit fare reviews, which passed. Coun. Robert Pearce called for an amendment to drop the fare increase for students and seniors, but it was defeated.