By Kenny Yum
The Toronto Transit Commission is planning to hike its fares, and university students may bear the brunt of the cost.
The TTC approved its 1995 budget last week, and Metro may introduce a five per cent cut in subsidies to the TTC. This could force the TTC to cut $4.7 million from its operating budget in the coming year.
“If (Metro) demands a cut, the TTC will either increase fares or cut services,” said TTC spokesperson Christine Burkitt. She added that the commission does not want to increase fares this year, but said that “there will be a fare hike in 1996.” However, if there is a hike this year, it may add 10 cents to ticket prices, costing students as much as $60 extra per year to use the TTC.
Some Ryerson students feel that university students are being given a raw deal by the TTC and Metro hall.
“High school students have a student rate, but university students who have to pay to go to school have to pay adult fare,” said Ryerson student Andre Mayer.
Metro Council will decide in March or April if they will go ahead with the subsidy cuts.
Reduced fares for university students have been discussed in he past, but the TTC says that it cannot reduce student fares anytime soon, as maintaining current prices is hard enough.
“We don’t have enough money to even cover our operating expenses so we can’t afford to cut fares,” Burkitt said.
As the TTC grapples with financial problems, they are also implementing a $2 billion plan to build more subway lines. This raises the question of how the commission can afford multi-billion dollar projects while facing a near $5 million shortfall. Ryerson student Adrian Isaacs thinks he has the answer.
“It’s monopoly out here, there’s nothing we can do,” he said.
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