In order to fight once morest inflation, the City of Montreal intends to offer free public transit service to seniors in the Metropolis.
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The administration of Mayor Valérie Plante plans to announce, in its 2023 budget, which will be unveiled on November 29, an amount of $40 million per year which will be used to provide free public transit to seniors aged 65 and over.
However, the measure will not come into force before 1is July 2023, so it should not cost more than $24 million for the first year.
The City hopes to make it easier for seniors to get around to encourage them to stay in town and break their isolation. The measure is also touted as a way to fight inflation.
“That represents approximately $324 in savings per year for seniors. It’s really a concrete help to help them cope with inflation, “said a source in the office of the mayor in an interview with the QMI Agency.
Mayor Valérie Plante intends to fulfill one of her election promises. At the end of June 2021, the head of Projet Montréal had promised to make access to the STM network free for seniors from the 1is July 2023.
“We want it, this free. We want to break the isolation and ensure that they can fully participate in life in society, “said Ms.me Plante.
This promise had already been made during Mr.me Plante, but had to be dropped during her first term. The mayor had, in 2021, attributed the postponement of this measure to the pandemic.
It should also be noted that in Montreal, public transit has been offered free of charge to children aged 11 and under since June 2021. To take advantage of this free access, they must be accompanied by a person aged 14 or over.
- Listen to the interview with Éric Alan Caldwell on Philippe-Vincent Foisy’s show broadcast live every day at 7:45 a.m. via QUB radio :
Free offered elsewhere
After a year of universal free transportation, the City of Saint-Jérôme has opted to only keep public transit free for seniors. Thus, since 1is last November, Jérômiens aged 65 and over can obtain an OPUS card at their own expense, on which the “bus” pass will be offered free of charge.
“Note that the title “Bus” gives access to almost all bus services in zones A, B, C, that is to say services offered in neighboring cities, Laval and Montreal” , also informed the City on its website.
