New public transit fares coming to the Montreal area on July 1
Montreal's regional transit authority (ARTM) is introducing a new mass transit fare system as of July 1 comprising four different zones in the Greater Montreal area.
While the price of single-ride tickets on the Montreal metro and STM buses will remain at $3.50, the new system includes several price increases for monthly passes and intercity commuting.
The metropolitan area will now consist of zones A, B, C, and D:
- Zone A: Montreal (the island of Montreal and Île Bizard)
- Zone B: Laval and the agglomeration of Longueuil (including Brossard)
- Zone C: Northern and southern suburbs served by the ARTM
- Zone D: Regions outside the ARTM territory
A map of new public transit fare zones A, B, C, and D in the Greater Montreal area, effective July 1, 2022. (Source: Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority)
The ARTM will reorganize over 750 different fare rates across Greater Montreal and condense them into just over 100, according to Simon Charbonneau, the transit authority's media relations officer. The goal is to simplify and further integrate the fare system that's already in place.
Purchasing a monthly pass in Zone A will now cost $94 for adults (up from $90.50), $56.50 for children, teenagers, and students over 18 (up from $54), and $28.25 for seniors over 65 (up from $27). Paratransit fares will experience identical changes in each age category for Zone A, while the senior one-way ticket will go up by 25 cents to $1.25.
Despite the price increases, commuters will now pay the same fare on all types of public transportation within Zone A, which includes Exo commuter trains and the future Réseau express métropolitain (REM) system.
Some may save as much as $53 every month on the 30-day pass, as the combined TRAM 1-3 pass can currently cost up to $147. This is good news for West Island residents whose commute can consist of an Exo train ride and the Montreal metro or bus.
However, Laval and Longueuil residents using a single-ride metro ticket to enter Zone A will now have to spend $5.25 — 50 per cent more than the current $3.50 fare. Earlier in April, the South Shore collective transit association (ATCRS) denounced the fare changes in a published statement, calling such a price difference "clearly excessive" and urged local commuters to sign a petition against the transit fare hike.
Charbonneau explained that Zone B commuters will, conversely, save more money with the new system. If Longueuil or Laval residents first take a local bus before taking the Montreal-bound metro, they will pay the same $5.25 fare for interzonal travel instead of $7.
Besides the new multi-zone system, the ARTM plans to modernize the currently available payment methods on public transit, which includes installing more credit card readers across the system.
"A pilot project financed by the ARTM is currently in place on all bus lines of the Société de transport de Laval to test and improve it, in order to offer the solution elsewhere on buses of the metropolitan region," said Charbonneau.
As for reloading one's OPUS card on a smartphone, Charbonneau stated that such technology had already been tested. A call for tenders will be launched this fall to offer this option to all commuters in the metropolitan area in 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.