The Transit Commission yesterday approved OC Transpo’s 2025 draft budget. The 2025 operating budget is $856 million, the largest investment in OC Transpo’s operating budget in the City’s history. The draft budget will rise to Council on December 11, 2024.
The draft budget will support several strategic initiatives tied to OC Transpo’s 5-Year Roadmap and goal of reaching 99.5 per cent for bus service delivery. New investments in 2025 include the delivery of new zero-emission buses, increasing Para Transpo service, O-Train Lines 2 and 4, extending O-Train Line 1 to Trim Station, launching the New Ways to Bus network, and revising east-end bus routes to connect to O-Train stations.
As part of the draft budget an eight per cent increase to the transit levy is proposed, as well as some changes to OC Transpo’s fares:
- Most fares will increase by 5 per cent.
- The new Adult single-ride fare will be $4 and a monthly Adult pass will be $135.
- EquiPass, Community Pass and Access Pass fares will not change and remain frozen.
- The Youth (13-19) monthly pass will be discontinued and replaced by the Adult monthly pass.
- Children ages 11 and 12 will no longer ride for free and will be eligible for a new Pre-Teen single-ride discounted fare of $2. Children aged 10 and under will continue to ride free.
The Commission approved a motion recommending that City Council maintain free transit for seniors on Wednesdays and adjust the Senior monthly pass to $78.50, a 42 per cent discount of the Adult monthly pass price. Under the proposed budget, Seniors would no longer ride free on Sundays.
Transit Commission also directed staff, in collaboration with City elected officials, to explore and work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and local school boards to develop the equivalent to a U-Pass for students under 18 years of age and to review alternative ways to deliver Para Transpo coupons to make them more accessible to residents in all areas of the city.
Transit Commission also approved a motion to direct staff to bring a report to the Transit Commission in 2025 outlining a plan to increase revenues associated with new rentals, retail leases, advertising and sponsorships by 10 per cent in 2025 and another 10 per cent in 2026.
Staff have also been directed to enter into negotiations with the four affected post-secondary institutions prior to the 2025 fall academic term, with the goal to achieve the budgeted revenue targets approved by Council on December 11, 2024.
Fare changes proposed in the draft budget will take effect January 1, 2025.
The Commission also heard about the success of OC Transpo’s first Para Transpo Talk series that was held in October. These customer engagement sessions allowed OC Transpo to meet with customers, their families, companions and support persons to discuss feedback and ideas they have about Para Transpo service. Over 300 attendees joined at various locations around the city and had an opportunity to see the new Para Transpo minibus. For more information on Para Transpo Talk, please visit octranspo.com.
The Commission also learned that the first in the latest order of new zero-emission bus (ZEB) has been delivered to Ottawa. Staff are currently completing commissioning and pre-service inspections before it enters service. Work continues to train staff and upgrade OC Transpo’s facilities to prepare for the expanded electric bus fleet. There are 26 additional zero-emission buses scheduled to be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Updates will continue to be provided to the Transit Commission as OC Transpo receives and introduces new ZEBs into its fleet.
The 40th annual OC Transpo/Loblaw Holiday Food Drive will take place on Saturday, December 14 from 10 am to 5 pm at participating Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer and No Frills stores across Ottawa. The OC Transpo/Loblaw Holiday Food Drive is Ottawa’s largest annual, single-day grocery store food drive. More information will be shared on octranspo.com.
The Commission learned that OC Transpo saw an increase in ridership in October – 0.5 per cent higher compared to September, and nine per cent higher than the previous year at 67.9 million customer-trips. Para Transpo’s 12-month total ridership is 848,000 customer-trips, an increase of 16 per cent compared to the previous year.
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