As students desperately try to pay for tuition, books and living expenses, yet another cost might be added to the bill. Burdened with a $78-million deficit, the Toronto Transit Commission must raise bulk ticket and token prices by 10 cents and Metropasses by $5.25 a month on Jan. 1, meaning Metropasses will cost $98.75, instead of $93.50.

As a result, the Post-Secondary Students’ Metropass Task Force (PSMTF), a coalition of university and college student councils, has formed. The group is calling for the TTC to create a pass for university and college students in Toronto at the same subsidized fee high school students pay—$80.

Yesterday the TTC held a meeting to discuss its budget. Members of PSMTF and U of T’s Students’ Administrative Council (SAC) spoke to the commissioners about the reduced rate proposal.

“Raised fares work [hard against] students as they are in huge debt, and some days [students] can find themselves not eating,” said Mike Foderick, co-chair of the PSMTF.

But facing a severe budget shortfall, the TTC may not be able to implement the subsidized pass.

“It depends on how much is going to be saved. We definitely acknowledge the plan—but it still all depends,” said TTC chief general manager Rick Ducharme.

The PSMTF, U of T administration and the TTC hope to divide the cost of the pass—each would pay one-third of the cost. The TTC stands to lose about $400,000 if it implements the high school discount.

U of T administration said it’s already on board to fund the pass.

SAC said it also supports the plan. “As cash-strapped as the TTC is, support of the idea is necessary in reallocating funds to a post-secondary pass,” said SAC president Rocco Kusi-Achampong.

The proposal is the culmination of a 20-year quest for students. Opportunity arose because of the impending double cohort.

“It’s smart to invest in young people. University is when you need more money and now we have a unique opportunity due to the double-cohort. We need to size that opportunity, or we many never have the chance again,” said Toronto city councillor Olivia Chow.

The vote on the proposal was deferred to Nov. 20 after the commission decided that they were not going to approve a budget to fund the plan; much more research by the commissioners and councillors is needed.

The PSMTF isn’t worried about the delay in deliberation. “I am confident that we will get the money,” Foderick said.

Photograph by Simon Turnbull