Public Transit Fares Hiking Up in Montreal's Metropolitan Region
Increase in Tariffs Set for July in Greater Montreal Region
Starting July 1st, the public transit fares in Montreal's metropolitan area are about to jump by an average of 3%. Growing dismay among passengers is inevitable, as a monthly pass for Montreal Island is set to near $105. The same upgrade applies to Laval and Longueuil, where a single ticket's price will surge as well.
The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) made this call on Wednesday, arguing the 3% hike is "reasonable" in the current financial context. Notably, the same decision was implemented last year.
The bossman, Benoît Gendron, insists that this increase is essential to "minimize financial strain on travelers while maintaining a dependable and top-notch transit system" says the ARTM's general director in a press statement.
Beginning in July, the monthly pass in zone A (covering Montreal Island) will climb from $100 to $104.50. Meanwhile, in zone AB, which includes Longueuil and Laval, the same pass will surge from $160 to $164.50.
Reaching deeper zones, the monthly pass in zone ABC will now exceed $200, amounting to $200.50 compared to $196. In zone ABCD, which also encompasses cities outside ARTM's territory, the cost of a single monthly pass will go from $271 to $275.50.
Frustration on Both Sides of the River
The new single-ride fare will stay put at $3.75 within zone A on Montreal Island. On the flip side, in zone AB, the price will rise from $4.75 to $5, an upward surge that the Association for Public Transportation of the South Shore (ATCRS) vehemently denounces.
The ATCRS observes that this 25-cent increase, the sole single-ride fare increase mentioned this year, unjustly targets "crown" users, as they state. Furthermore, "there will be no service improvement in exchange," the organization laments.
Last year, the AB fare also saw an increase. As a result, over two years, it has climbed by 11.1%, more than double the inflation rate. Meanwhile, users are plagued with a declining service offer ever since the pandemic.
"We're bewildered as to why 'crown' users, particularly those on the South Shore and Laval, are still forced to shoulder an increase when they're facing a deteriorating service quality," says the association’s spokesperson, Jean-Michel Laliberte.
The ATCRS still points out fewer bus routes, lower metro frequency on the yellow line, and Longueuil's station's ongoing lack of proper accessibility measures. In Brossard, "passengers are subjected to an unstable REM, whose chaotic operation adds 30 minutes to many trips," the organization adds.
Laliberte appeals to Quebec to fund the ARTM with $2.7 million, preventing the fare hike. "Clients are being drained financially while the quality of service diminishes. These aren't just matters of costs; it's a question of fairness," he concludes.
The Association for Public Transportation of the South Shore (ATCRS) criticizes the 25-cent increase in the single-ride fare within zone AB, arguing it unfairly targets "crown" users. The ATCRS also points out that, despite the fare hike, they are still facing a deteriorating service quality. The organization calls on Quebec to fund the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) with $2.7 million to prevent the fare hike, stating that passengers are being financially drained while the quality of service diminishes, raising concerns about fairness.
