New Subsidy Has Limited Benefit for Some Kingstonians

I just picked up an application for the new Municipal Fee Assistance Program in Kingston, and I'm shocked to see how little it will benefit those who are registered to use the Access Bus.

On the application form, it says the program is designed to offer low income Kingstonians three opportunities:

1. The Affordable Transit Pass,
2. The Subsidy Program for Affordable Recreation in Kingston, and
3. P.R.O. Kids (Positive Recreational Opportunities Kids).

I was excited about the idea of affordable recreation until I picked up the Kingston Recreation Guide and saw there were very few programs for those who use a wheelchair. The group exercise programs are not easily able to be modified to include someone with limited mobility, so it looks like the only realistic benefit that could come from the subsidy would be for those who want to work out in the gym. The pools are accessible, but cold water can be a problem for those who have neuropathic pain.

I then looked at the eligibility criteria for the new Affordable Transit Pass and I was pleased to see it now includes those who are working but are still below the poverty line. That pleasure quickly turned into frustration when I saw that the discount will no longer apply to single fares or the purchase of a multi-ride card. This makes no sense because for those who use the Access Bus, the cost of a bus pass would exceed the amount we would normally pay in a month to use Kingston Transit. If the $45.00 bus pass could be used to pay for both services, it would be great, but it can't because each system has its own fare structure.

This means the new subsidy will no longer benefit those, who already pay way more than the average person who uses Kingston Transit for transportation, if they want to go out almost every day. I don't think the public realizes how expensive and limiting the wheelchair accessible transportation can be in this city.

I would prefer to use Kingston Transit because I can be more spontaneous and it's cheaper, but with a breathing condition that is affected by exposure to scent, I have to get off the bus if a passenger wearing too much gets on, and wait for the next one. This means I can’t count on using it to get to an appointment on time. I also can’t use it in bad weather, or when the bus is too full for a wheelchair to fit in.

To highlight the cost discrepancy, the Access Bus costs $2.25 for every single bus that we take, whereas an adult fare on Kingston Transit costs $2.25 cash fare, $20 for 10 rides on the multi-ride card, and $65/month for a bus pass and unlimited rides.

Because of these high costs, there is a good chance that the majority of people who use wheelchairs will not be able to benefit from the $300 annual recreation subsidy or the affordable transit subsidy, now that there is no longer an option to buy a discounted single cash fare or a multi-ride card. It's too bad a program that is designed to offset the effects of poverty, missed the one segment of the population that has to pay so much for their transit.
FACT: In 2008 I spent $1,435.50 for the Access Bus (as per the printed manifest for that year) and at least $360.00 for Kingston Transit. Compare this with buying 12 bus passes to get unlimited travel on Kingston Transit for a year. The cost without the subsidy would be $780 ($65 x12), and with the new Affordable Transit Pass, 540 ($45 x 12). In Toronto, an undiscounted bus pass costs $109 per month, or $1,308 per year, and you could take unlimited rides on the TTC, including WheelTrans, for a year.

One more number: A return trip on Access Bus once a day for a year would cost $1,642.50 ($4.50 X 365 days in a year). That's 13% of the maximum income a single person on ODSP gets in a year is $12,504 a year if they qualify for the maximum living allowance and housing allowance. (To confirm the numbers, read directives 6.1 and 6.2 on the ODSP web site at: http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/directives/ODSP_incomesupport.aspx)
These numbers are pointed out, not to complain, but to show that it is vital for Kingston to create a subsidy that will benefit all of the citizens, including those who use the Access Bus. I have seen, since I first started to use a wheelchair in 1995, a huge loss of recreational programs, social outlets, the shopping mall and accessible stores, accessible taxi's (although they may soon be back), and less access to equitable and affordable transit.

It is my hope that after reading these concrete numbers, that the citizens of Kingston and city council will work together to find a better resolve to assist all people with disabilities by leveling the playing field so that those, who are doing their best to cope with their disability, while be able to work, play, and take part in the rich and diverse opportunities that exist in this city. Thank you.

Please read my other Blogs:
Health: http://wheelchairdemon-health.blogspot.com
Transit: http://wheelchairdemon-transit.blogspot.com

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