The TTC board has unanimously approved a 10-cent fare increase for 2019, over the objections from transit users and advocates who urged members not to balance the transit agency’s budget on the backs of riders. And while the price hike is expected to generate about $25.8 million for the TTC this year, Thursday’s board meeting was at times dominated by presentations from agency executives that warned the transit system is on shaky financial ground, both in the short and long term. TTC Chair Jaye Robinson said she was “disappointed” about the fare hike, which was approved as part of the proposed 2019 operating budget that the agency first released last week. Robinson, who council appointed TTC chair in December, told the Star earlier this month she wouldn’t back a fare hike this year. But after the vote she said she had concluded it was unavoidable because of increased costs, and because the city had made it clear it wouldn’t provide more money to eliminate the need for higher fares. “The city has clearly stated there’s no additional funds,” she said. “That left us with no choice, because we don’t want to cut services. So today it came down to cutting services versus a 10-cent fare increase.”About a dozen members of the public showed up to oppose raising transit prices. Read more: TTC predicting $44.5-million surplus in 2017The TTC needs $33.5 billion to keep the system functional — roughly two-thirds of which are unfunded, report saysTTC plans to hire dozens of fare inspectors to deter people from skipping out on paying“Many young people struggle to pay tuition, are straddled with student debt and precarious work or (are) unemployed. This is an additional cost that they simply cannot afford,” said Eli Aaron, a planning student at Ryerson University and a member of the Toronto Youth Cabinet. Some saw irony in the fact that the debate about the fare hike came hours after a maj ...
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