The Unfair Fare Hike is No More

Media Release

Grassroots Petition and leaflet campaign reverse unpopular decision, Community groups are cautiously optimistic

March 12, 2012

WINNIPEG – Social justice groups and city councillors are viewing the decision to reverse the 20-cent bus fare increase, with cautious optimism. The group collective recognizes the necessity for rapid transit, but agree the increase should not be at the expense of those who cannot afford the increase to ride the bus.

The coordinated efforts of representatives from City Councillors, the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association and other community groups seem to have paid off. The groups are elated Mayor Katz stated that Council would not proceed with the unpopular decision and await final confirmation through a City Council cote that the fare hike will not go into effect.

The grassroots campaign built a strong momentum in response to City Council’s motion in approving for a 20-cent fare increase in November 2011; the proposed increase came on top of a five-cent increase, which took effect January 1, 2012 raising transit fare from $2.40 to $2.45.  The 20 cent increase would have taken effect on June 1^st the motion was approved with no opportunity for public consultation.

Shortly after the increase was announced, advocates quickly organized and publicly pointed out the connection between access to transportation, social inclusion and quality of life. In addition, many low-income transit users would be paying for a service they would not be accessing. A number of City Council members quickly joined the campaign, Councillors Harvey Smith, Ross Eadie, Jenny Gerbasi, John Orlikow, Mike Pagtakhan, Devi Sharma and Brian Mayes supported the group by handing out pamphlets, coordinating volunteers, participating in media releases, and voicing their disapproval in Council Chambers.

Councillor Harvey Smith stated “The fare hike is cruel and a burden on the people.  No other city makes its riders pay for system expansion.”

Sandra Gessler, President of the Board of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, said, “No matter how the cancelled transit fare hike is being spun or justified now, all things considered it was simply the right thing to do. Much thanks to the councillors who recognized the far-reaching negative consequences and worked hard to rescind the .20 increase, and thanks to those who had the integrity to listen, re-consider their initial decision and change their vote. It would appear that in this case the people were heard and democracy worked as it should”.

Zach Fleisher, Community Liaison Director, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association, said, “Such a move by city council clearly underestimated how difficult such an increase would be on low income earners and students. Such a victory is bittersweet; the onus is now on Winnipeg City Council to find another source of sustainable funding to ensure the long term viability of any rapid transit development in this city.”

Councilor Ross Eadie (Mynarski) stated. “I am really disappointed in some councilors and the Mayor for leveraging the anxiety of bus riders who don’t receive income increases at the same percent as the 20 cent increase to fight with the province for rapid transit construction.  That said, I call on the residents of Winnipeg to let the current provincial government know there needs to be a better means of revenue to pay for the infrastructure deficit all Winnipeggers deal with every day.  The Mayor and others provided many different ways of funding the deficit with the province ignoring the ideas.”

Dave Mouland, a volunteer at Winnipeg Harvest, called the reversal ” this is the right thing to do as this fare increase would have been another tax on the poor, elderly , unemployed, single moms, students and many others, who would have no use for rapid transit, rapid transit should proceed but not on the backs of the poor.”

Dave Mouland will be making a presentation at the March 14 Executive Policy Committee at City Hall to thank Councilors and Mayor Sam Katz for their decision to reverse the increase and to stress the importance of developing rapid transit, but not at the expensive of those who can ill-afford the increase.

The Groups that Supported in this Campaign include:

The Council of Women of Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Labour Council

The Aboriginal Council

The Disabled Women’s Network (DAWN)

Winnipeg Harvest Volunteers

The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Manitoba

The Rapid Transit Coalition

The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association

The Canadian Federation of Students

The Green Party of Manitoba

Make Poverty History Manitoba

The West Central Women’s Resource Centre

Spence Neighbourhood Association

The John Howard Society

Occupy Winnipeg

Industrial Workers of the World

New Journey Housing

The Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council

UNPAC

Plus many individual volunteers

Thank you to everyone!

Keep up the Pressure

Keep up the pressure! Make sure the Mayor and City Councillors rescind the 20-cent increase in transit fares they are imposing June 1.

Attend the Executive Policy Committee meeting inside City Hall, 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 13.

Make a presentation at the Executive Policy Committee meeting to support the motion to rescind from the Infrastructure and Public Works Committee. You are welcome to speak your mind, and here are some of the key messages we will be telling the EPC:
1. There should be no fare hike. It is unfair. Transit riders should not be used as pawns in a political game.

2. We need rapid transit, we need it soon, and we need it to be paid for in a just and equitable way.

3. We need improved transit, including improved handi-transit and more affordable transit for the many who live in poverty in our city. This 20-cent increase brought us together, and we will continue to push for a transit system Winnipeg can be proud of.

To register to speak, before Monday, March 12 phone 311, e-mail 311@winnipeg.ca or register in person at City Hall, 510 Main Street.

Call, mail or e-mail the Mayor and your city councillor. Contact information is is here

Sign a petition. Online
or print out a hard copy, get others to sign and send to:
Social Planning Council, 300-207 Donald Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C1M5

Hard copies of petitions MUST be received by Monday, March 12 at 12:00 noon. If you have any copies, please send them immediately.

“We may win this fight or not. But if we don’t fight it, we know for sure they’ll do the same thing to us again and again!”
– Winnipeg Harvest volunteer Dave Mouland

Send in Your Petitions by Monday, March 12

The pressure on council has been working, now is our time to show just how many people care about ensuring the fare hike does not come into effect. If you have any petitions you’ve got signed, please mail or bring them in. You can send them to:

The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

300-207 Donald Street

Winnipeg, MB R3C 1M5

Small Victories and Large Lessons

Small Victories and Large Lessons

Sometimes our small victories provide us with large lessons.

On Monday, the Public Works Committee of City Council voted to rescind the 20 cent bus fare increase that was approved by Council last summer.

It was a principled and persistent group of community and student activists who got the vote to go against a fare increase – an increase that had absolutely no merit. Encouraged by Councillors Smith and Eadie, they rallied the community and got one more Councillor on their side to vote for reason over rancour.

Their effort showed that the community can stand up to Councillors who threaten and exploit Winnipeggers on low and fixed incomes, instead of finding ways to support them.

Now the motion to rescind goes to the Executive Policy Committee on March 13^th, where the fare increase could be reinstated. Ultimately the full Council will have to vote to rescind the fare increase on March 20^th.

There is an ongoing concern that Council will continue to use bus riders as ammunition in their aggressive style of negotiation with the Province over rapid transit funding. Councillor Wyatt still wants to use riders as hostages to threaten the Province. Let’s watch to see how stubborn and intransigent the other Councillors will be.

You can call 311 from now until Monday to register to speak at the Executive Policy Committee Meeting March 13 at 9:00am

You can read Bartley Kives summary of what happened yesterday here:

No Transit-fare Hike, but Stay Tuned

Please be aware that the title of the article is not entirely correct. There will still be a transit fare hike unless Council votes to rescind it on March 20.

Next Step…EPC!

Today, March 5, Councillor Gerbasi put forward a motion at the Public Works committee to rescind the 20-cent Fare Hike. The motion was unanimously supported, even by Councillor Vandal who originally voted to raise the fares.

There were at least 50 people out to watch our councillors talk about the fare hike (among other things). We need to keep this pressure on. Plan to attend:

Executive Policy Committee meeting

Tuesday, March 13 at 9:00am

City Hall, 510 Main Street

Call 311 to register to speak.

Public Works Meeting Today, Monday, March 5 at 1:00pm!

Please attend the Public Works Meeting today at 1:00pm to show your support for those speaking against the fare hike.

Video from Media Release February 22

Here is a video covering the media release after the motion to rescind the fare increase was put forward to council. Speakers include Councillor Mayes, Councillor Pagtakhan, Councillor Eadie, Councillor Smith, and Christina Maes from the Social Planning Council.

You can also go to the “Watch City Council” page to read minutes from the meeting. There are concerns about both the process and the outcome of how things work at City Hall.

Register to Speak to the Public Works Budget on March 5

This will be the first opportunity for public input into what has been a very political (and unfair) decision (see media and background information for more details).

Call 311 and ask to sign up to speak about the budget at the Infrastructure and Public Works Committee Meeting on March 5 at 1:00pm at City Hall.

You can share information about the date through Facebook, see the event: City Hall Transit Hike Opposition

Update on Campaign Plans: Come to Public Works Committee March 5, 1:00pm!

As you may know, Councillor Smith put forward a motion to rescind the 20-cent fare hike on February 22. At the meeting, Councillor Swandel unexpectedly called “notice” on the motion. This means the motion will go straight back to Council on March 21, 2012.

 

Despite this, we can still present to the Public Works Committee Meeting on March 5, 2012 at 1:00pm, by speaking to the budget. The Public Works Committee can decide what to do with the information they receive. This will be the first opportunity for real public input on the unfair fare hike.

 

Starting February 29, we encourage everyone interested to call 311 and sign up to speak at the Public Works Committee Meeting on March 5, and ask to speak to the budget. If you do not want to speak, you can still attend to show your support.

 

In the meantime, continue to hand out flyers, put up posters, get petitions signed, call Mayor Katz and members of City Council, tell your friends and colleagues to do the same and spread information to your networks.

Video of Campaign

Video of Fair Fares Campaign