Winnipeg city council has approved a 25 cent increase in transit fares starting in 2012. An adult one way fare on Winnipeg transit is currently $2.40, the increase will put that up to $2.65. The increase is to help fund the rapid transit corridor from the Jubilee overpass to the University of Manitoba. Eighty-percent of the citizens that use Winnipeg transit never go to the U of M, but the corridor is the first baby step to bring to Winnipeg a semblance of a rapid transit system.
No trains involved here, the rapid transit corridor will be a street that will be built along an abandoned rail track that will exclusively be used by transit buses. The idea is to alleviate congestion along major streets by getting the buses onto their own thoroughfare.
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Below is a comparison of transit fares in major Canadian cities. For many Winnipegers that are against the fare hike, this list demonstrates that Winnipeg has one of the lowest transit fares in Canada. All fares are adult single fare one way trip. This list goes west to east.
Vancouver SkyTrain
In Vancouver a single fare lets you travel on the transit system for 90 minutes. Whether by bus, SkyTrain or Seabus. In Vancouver however, there are different fares according to how far you travel. Three zones.
Vancouver
Zone 1 $2.50
Zone 2 $3.75
Zone 3 $5.00
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Calgary
Adult fare: $2.75
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Edmonton
Adult fare: $2.85
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Saskatoon
Adult fare: $2.75
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Regina
Adult fare: $2.50
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Winnipeg
Adult fare: $2.40
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Toronto
Adult fare: $3.00
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Hamilton
Adult fare: $2.55
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Ottawa
Adult fare: $3.25
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Montreal
Adult fare: $3.00
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Saint John
Adult fare: $2.75
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Halifax
Adult fare: $2.25
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St. John’s
Adult fare: $2.25
In Halifax a regular fare gets you on the ferry.
Markosun's Blog 
And in Halifax, transfers are usually good for 2 hours! I get a monthly bus pass, and it costs me $70.00 – regular fare!
True, they have low transit rates. But, if the idea is to reduce congestion and move commuters to a public system, they only way to do it is to make private transportation worse. Taking the bus / train sucks! Why would I want to take the bus in -30 Winnipeg weather? Because taking my car is worse… the only answer. Think about Toronto – okay grander scale, but can you imagine driving in that city? This is why they have a great transit system. Ditto that for Vancouver.
So – Winnipeg needs to take up a traffic lane for buses and increase congestion for cars. They also need to get the funds for the system from the car traffic – not from the folks who are already using and contributing to the transit system.
Sorry, but it is a fact. Make cars impossible and folks will take transit.
saskatoon is now at 3$
Calgary transit fare is now $3.00 so might want to change 😉