Transit unions across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) are demanding the provincial government immediately halt the expansion of its regional fare integration program, warning the move could dismantle Toronto’s century-old transit network, reduce service, and lead to privatization.
On Thursday, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) of Canada, along with the heads of its local chapters representing workers at the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), GO Transit, Brampton Transit, Mississauga’s MiWay, and the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR), sent a formal letter to Ontario Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria. They voiced "serious concerns" over the government's plan, dubbed "One Fare 2.0," which is a key component of the newly introduced Bill 98, the Building Homes and Improving Transportation Infrastructure Act.
The proposed legislation, currently in its second reading at Queen’s Park, aims to create a single, unified fare structure across the GTHA. This follows the initial "One Fare" program launched in 2024, which allows free transfers between municipal transit systems and GO Transit. The province says that program has already saved commuters more than $230 million.
Fare barriers could break up TTC network, unions warn
The central fear for the unions is that the province's plan amounts to an "unprecedented provincial takeover of municipal transit." They argue that Bill 98 lacks any enforceable protections for service levels, fare revenue for municipalities, or the rights of transit workers.
Transit workers are the ones who keep this region moving every single day, and ATU must have a seat at the table whenever decisions are being made that affect our workforce. If Ontario is serious about building a regional transit system that works, it starts with respecting the people who run it.
A key concern outlined in the letter is the potential impact on 24 cross-boundary corridors, encompassing 50 TTC routes that currently connect Toronto with surrounding regions. The unions fear these routes could be handed over to other operators without accountability to Toronto City Council, effectively breaking up the TTC’s integrated network.
“The (TTC) operates on a single-fare, integrated network model that has served Toronto for over a century,” the letter states. “The cross-boundary integration proposal threatens to dismantle that model by introducing fare barriers within the city, transferring control of routes to agencies and politicians outside Toronto, and creating a pathway for the eventual contracting out of public transit work.”
The unions also claim the existing "One Fare" system is already causing financial strain on transit agencies in Brampton, Hamilton, and Mississauga, which they say are losing both ridership and revenue. They believe Bill 98 will only accelerate this trend, describing the province's approach not as genuine integration but as "fragmentation by design."
Province calls union claims
inaccurate'
The provincial government has pushed back strongly against the unions’ characterization of the legislation. Dakota Brasier, a spokesperson for Transportation Minister Sarkaria, dismissed the claims as "inaccurate and misguided."
“Our legislation introduced earlier this week further integrates transit fares, saving money for families who are travelling into Toronto from the GTHA,” Brasier said in a statement. “It does not impact service nor force unnecessary transfers as the ATU inaccurately claims.”
Brasier insisted that the TTC, like all other local transit agencies, will remain municipally owned and operated. The government's focus remains on improving affordability and convenience for riders, pointing to early discussions about a new fare structure that could include a zoned system where fares are based on distance travelled, rather than the current flat-fare model.
The effort to harmonize transit in the GTHA has been a goal for decades. Metrolinx, the provincial agency that operates GO Transit, was created with a mandate to integrate regional transportation, but harmonizing the dozen-plus separate transit systems, each with its own fare structure and operational priorities, has proven to be a complex challenge.
Demands for funding and protection
Beyond halting the "One Fare 2.0" plan, the unions presented a list of demands they say are necessary for true and equitable transit integration. They are calling for enforceable service level agreements, transparent guarantees on fare revenue for municipalities, and a firm commitment that the expanded program will not lead to contracting out work to private operators.
The unions are also urging the government to provide dedicated, stable operating funding for all GTHA transit systems. They specifically highlighted the need for the province to fully fund the operational costs of the new Hazel McCallion LRT in Mississauga, warning that without it, the city may be forced to strip resources from its existing MiWay bus service.
Furthermore, the letter calls for the restoration of the TTC-GO co-fare program, which the Ford government cancelled in 2019. The program provided a $1.50 discount for riders transferring between the two systems and was seen by many as a simple and effective integration tool. “If the province were serious about making transit work across the region, restoring the TTC-GO co-fare would be the clear and immediate first step,” the unions said.
As Bill 98 continues to be debated, the future of inter-regional transit and the structure of municipal agencies like the TTC hang in the balance, with both sides appearing unwilling to budge on their respective visions for a connected GTHA.
