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Toronto City Council · 2020-09-30 · 2020.MM24.34

The filed record

Update on the Fair Pass Program - by Councillor Anthony Perruzza, seconded by Mayor John Tory

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The decision

2020-09-30 · Toronto City Council · adopted

As filed

City Council on September 30, October 1 and 2, 2020, adopted the following: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report to the November 12, 2020 meeting of the Economic and Community Development Committee with: a. an update on the Fair Pass Program and impacts to service during the COVID-19 pandemic; b. an overview of outstanding Presto Card Policy and technical barriers preventing a full restart of Fair Pass; and c.

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an update on the planning and implementation of Phase 3 of the Program.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

In the City of Toronto's Poverty Reduction Strategy, Transit Equity is a key pillar, including the goal to "make transit more affordable for low-income residents." The Fair Pass Program was approved in 2016 and has been expanded to include adult residents receiving benefits from the Ontario Disability Support Program, Ontario Works or in a low-income household in receipt of a Toronto Child Care Fee Subsidy. On March 17, 2020 with the declaration of the COVID-19 emergency, the closure of physical City of Toronto service locations including Toronto Employment and Social Service offices, and redeployment of City staff to critical emergency supports, new applications for the Fair Pass Program, which currently utilizes a paper-based manual process, were paused.

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Recognizing the importance of the discount for Toronto's vulnerable and marginalized residents, City staff worked to renew the discount for those who had already received the benefit and who remained eligible for it. Further, the City of Toronto is urging Metrolinx to work expeditiously with the City to implement required changes to fare card policies and systems to enable the acceptance of new applications, providing the benefit to more riders. However, recent media accounts of a client who was unable to renew their Fair Pass discount highlights the need to continue to complete implementation of the Program, which is in a pilot phase, to ensure the best client experience for Torontonians living in poverty.

Staff recommended

Councillor Anthony Perruzza, seconded by Mayor John Tory, recommends that: 1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to report to the November 12, 2020 meeting of the Economic and Community Development Committee with: a. an update on the Fair Pass Program and impacts to service during the COVID-19 pandemic; b. an overview of outstanding Presto Card Policy and technical barriers preventing a full restart of Fair Pass; and c.

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an update on the planning and implementation of Phase 3 of the Program.

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