TTC to refuse Presto fare system unless funded by provincial government

TORONTO, Ont. – The provincial government would have to provide substantial funding to get the TTC to commit to the Presto fare system, according to TTC Chairman Adam Giambrone.

The cost to install the collection system would be approximately $400 million, money which is not in the Commission’s budget.

“Not only do you have pay that 400 million to set it up, there are also costs to maintain the system and run it. We all have to understand that very clearly, because that cost is passed on directly to the riders,” Giambrone told 680News.

“There is no additional transit money. The TTC is short two and a half billion dollars over the next ten years for capital, so it’s looking for a solution that has very little city money in it.”

Giambrone’s comments came in response to Ontario Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne, who stated on Thursday that the Presto card initiative “absolutely” needs the TTC to succeed.

The province has committed approximately $48 million to the project, but the TTC chair said the city cannot find the extra $352 million to cover it.

The smart card was launched in May 2010, and now has 10,000 users in the GTA and Hamilton area.

Currently, the TTC is using Presto cards at nine stations as part of a pilot project, but a separate system that allows commuters to use debit and credit cards is being studied.

Wynne said the demand for the card shows that public transit users want to be able to travel between Toronto and its surrounding regions without having to use separate cards or search for change. 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today