Deputation to the City of Toronto: Reduce TTC Fares For People on ODSP or Social Assistance
Monday, February 2, 2015
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Here is the text of another one of my lobbying efforts; this one to Toronto City Council regarding TTC fares.
A lot of people liked it. Here's hoping it has an impact.
Hello, my name is Louise. I am from ward 19.
I would like to thank the budget committee for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.
I just moved to Toronto in August 2014. I'm a volunteer with ODSP Action Coalition, Right 2 Housing, PSAT (Psychiatric Survivor Archives of Toronto), and I'm about to start volunteering for the ROM. Part of the reason I moved to Toronto from Kingston is because of the number of barriers that weren't being removed under the AODA.
Now that I'm in a more accessible city, I'm already well involved in activities that enable me to give back to my community.
Today I am here to ask that consideration be given to reducing the TTC fares for people who are on a fixed low-income.
As a person who uses a wheelchair, I must rely on public transit. ODSP funds are inadequate to realistically pay for a Metro Pass but, in my case (and that of many others), it is a vital necessity.
The living allowance for a single person on ODSP is $619 per month.
Did you know that the cost of one Discounted Metro Pass takes up 20% of the living allowance allotted people who are disabled and must live on ODSP?
If I didn't buy the discounted pass, which many people on ODSP can't choose to do because they can't get a chequing account, I'd be paying 22% of my living allowance to buy the full priced $133.75 bus pass.
I live in an area that is gentrified. The cost of groceries are much higher in my neighbourhood than they are at No Frills. For example a dozen eggs cost $1.30 more per dozen. A bag of milk costs $2.80 more. Fruits and Vegetables are mostly organic in my neighbourhood, so their cost is out of reach. I must take a bus to a store outside of Liberty Village to shop so I make buying a Metro Pass my number one priority.
I use the bus on average, 4 times per day (two, 2-way outings). I take the bus to the free swim at Mary McCormick pool to get much needed exercise so I can ease arthritic pain, to church, to the library, to volunteer jobs (I have 3), to appointments, to free lectures, and the list goes on.
By being active I don't get depressed, I give back to the community, and I can cope with severe pain caused by the disability. By remaining active I have learned how to manage the pain and avoid a depression. The only medication costs I have are baby aspirin for a heart condition and Advil For arthritic pain because the drug card no longer covers this cost either. Thankful I rarely have to see the doctor or be prescribed medications, so I, and many others like me, are saving the taxpayer money.
It makes me mad to think the cost of my bus is going to go up, while children under the age of 12 will soon be able to ride for free.
I can't help but wonder if anyone thought to look at the demographics of the City, or considered the income status of the families those children live in, before the announcement was made for free TTC for all children under the age of 12?
I say this because, if one were to look at the stats for social assistance and the nature of a benefit unit, one would see that almost 80% of social assistance recipients are single. This means there aren't likely to be many children in social assistance families who are benefited.
I did some number crunching and by the looks of it, if all children under 12 (approximately 300,865) took one bus per month, the TTC will be subsidizing the cost by approximately $225,649. If this number was then multiplied, it looks like the TTC has given up an awful lot of revenue earning potential. If an ID card, to prove the child's age is then needed, that's a lot of money. When one considers that, according to a Statistics Canada document outlining Canadians mode of travel, only 23.3% of the people living in Toronto use the TTC, they drive, walk, or cycle instead, it doesn't look like a lot of the people with children and who could really stand a costing break, will benefit.
I would therefore like to propose that the City think of restructuring the bus fares another way. Instead of giving free bus fares to children under 12, why not offer the Senior's rate to people on ODSP or are on Social assistance and trying to supplement their income by working?
According to another resource I found about the nature of people who rely on Social Assistance, only 2.2% of the population rely on Social Assistance alone. Most are working and trying to earn enough income so they can survive.
Would it not be beneficial to create an incentive that would reward those who are trying to help themselves? To the best of my knowledge the $100 volunteer allowance that Toronto offers people on ODSP is now criteria based. If one is lucky enough to get on it, I understand it will only last for 6 months.
The province is encouraging the disabled to become employed. ODSP has evolved from once being considered to an income separate from Social Assistance to one of an income of last resort. If transit swallows up a big chunk of our income, then there’s very little left over to spend on doing job search, printing resumes, networking through mixers and various social outlets, to say nothing of getting a hair cut, buying suitable clothes, etc.
Many cities have recognized the value of subsidizing incomes for people who are on a low income. Kingston does this, Ottawa does this, and many other communities are doing this. Why not Toronto?
There is a lot of benefit to be gained by making transit more affordable to people whose income is incredibly low, and there is a lot of benefit to the taxpayer because we're more able to give back by the types of activities I named above, as well.
Lower fares be made available to people who are on social assistance and who are taking steps to help themselves by working. The indirect cost savings is that it would give the person more ability to give back by working or volunteering, there would be less cost to the health care system when one can save transit fares and invest in healthier food, more social activities (and therefore experience less social isolation and depression), exercise or any number of other things.
Please reconsider how the city charges fares on the TTC so that any breaks in covering the cost of the bus, can benefit the people who would benefit and be able to give back (with savings on housing, health care, food banks, volunteerism, or by working). The proof is in the social assistance stats. People who are on social assistance will take steps to help themselves by working. Others will volunteer and still others will take steps to use the savings to invest in food and activities that will improve their health and well-being.
The links I used to put this theory together are below. I can share them by email if you'd like. Thank you.
References
A lot of people liked it. Here's hoping it has an impact.
Hello, my name is Louise. I am from ward 19.
I would like to thank the budget committee for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.
I just moved to Toronto in August 2014. I'm a volunteer with ODSP Action Coalition, Right 2 Housing, PSAT (Psychiatric Survivor Archives of Toronto), and I'm about to start volunteering for the ROM. Part of the reason I moved to Toronto from Kingston is because of the number of barriers that weren't being removed under the AODA.
Now that I'm in a more accessible city, I'm already well involved in activities that enable me to give back to my community.
Today I am here to ask that consideration be given to reducing the TTC fares for people who are on a fixed low-income.
As a person who uses a wheelchair, I must rely on public transit. ODSP funds are inadequate to realistically pay for a Metro Pass but, in my case (and that of many others), it is a vital necessity.
The living allowance for a single person on ODSP is $619 per month.
Did you know that the cost of one Discounted Metro Pass takes up 20% of the living allowance allotted people who are disabled and must live on ODSP?
If I didn't buy the discounted pass, which many people on ODSP can't choose to do because they can't get a chequing account, I'd be paying 22% of my living allowance to buy the full priced $133.75 bus pass.
I live in an area that is gentrified. The cost of groceries are much higher in my neighbourhood than they are at No Frills. For example a dozen eggs cost $1.30 more per dozen. A bag of milk costs $2.80 more. Fruits and Vegetables are mostly organic in my neighbourhood, so their cost is out of reach. I must take a bus to a store outside of Liberty Village to shop so I make buying a Metro Pass my number one priority.
I use the bus on average, 4 times per day (two, 2-way outings). I take the bus to the free swim at Mary McCormick pool to get much needed exercise so I can ease arthritic pain, to church, to the library, to volunteer jobs (I have 3), to appointments, to free lectures, and the list goes on.
By being active I don't get depressed, I give back to the community, and I can cope with severe pain caused by the disability. By remaining active I have learned how to manage the pain and avoid a depression. The only medication costs I have are baby aspirin for a heart condition and Advil For arthritic pain because the drug card no longer covers this cost either. Thankful I rarely have to see the doctor or be prescribed medications, so I, and many others like me, are saving the taxpayer money.
It makes me mad to think the cost of my bus is going to go up, while children under the age of 12 will soon be able to ride for free.
I can't help but wonder if anyone thought to look at the demographics of the City, or considered the income status of the families those children live in, before the announcement was made for free TTC for all children under the age of 12?
I say this because, if one were to look at the stats for social assistance and the nature of a benefit unit, one would see that almost 80% of social assistance recipients are single. This means there aren't likely to be many children in social assistance families who are benefited.
I did some number crunching and by the looks of it, if all children under 12 (approximately 300,865) took one bus per month, the TTC will be subsidizing the cost by approximately $225,649. If this number was then multiplied, it looks like the TTC has given up an awful lot of revenue earning potential. If an ID card, to prove the child's age is then needed, that's a lot of money. When one considers that, according to a Statistics Canada document outlining Canadians mode of travel, only 23.3% of the people living in Toronto use the TTC, they drive, walk, or cycle instead, it doesn't look like a lot of the people with children and who could really stand a costing break, will benefit.
I would therefore like to propose that the City think of restructuring the bus fares another way. Instead of giving free bus fares to children under 12, why not offer the Senior's rate to people on ODSP or are on Social assistance and trying to supplement their income by working?
According to another resource I found about the nature of people who rely on Social Assistance, only 2.2% of the population rely on Social Assistance alone. Most are working and trying to earn enough income so they can survive.
Would it not be beneficial to create an incentive that would reward those who are trying to help themselves? To the best of my knowledge the $100 volunteer allowance that Toronto offers people on ODSP is now criteria based. If one is lucky enough to get on it, I understand it will only last for 6 months.
The province is encouraging the disabled to become employed. ODSP has evolved from once being considered to an income separate from Social Assistance to one of an income of last resort. If transit swallows up a big chunk of our income, then there’s very little left over to spend on doing job search, printing resumes, networking through mixers and various social outlets, to say nothing of getting a hair cut, buying suitable clothes, etc.
Many cities have recognized the value of subsidizing incomes for people who are on a low income. Kingston does this, Ottawa does this, and many other communities are doing this. Why not Toronto?
There is a lot of benefit to be gained by making transit more affordable to people whose income is incredibly low, and there is a lot of benefit to the taxpayer because we're more able to give back by the types of activities I named above, as well.
Lower fares be made available to people who are on social assistance and who are taking steps to help themselves by working. The indirect cost savings is that it would give the person more ability to give back by working or volunteering, there would be less cost to the health care system when one can save transit fares and invest in healthier food, more social activities (and therefore experience less social isolation and depression), exercise or any number of other things.
Please reconsider how the city charges fares on the TTC so that any breaks in covering the cost of the bus, can benefit the people who would benefit and be able to give back (with savings on housing, health care, food banks, volunteerism, or by working). The proof is in the social assistance stats. People who are on social assistance will take steps to help themselves by working. Others will volunteer and still others will take steps to use the savings to invest in food and activities that will improve their health and well-being.
The links I used to put this theory together are below. I can share them by email if you'd like. Thank you.
References
Population:
http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/social_development_finance__administration/files/pdf/censusbackgrounder_ageandsex_2011.pdf
Mode of travel:
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/2011003/tbl/tbl1a-eng.cfm
Social Assistance Stats: http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Managers%20Office/Toronto%20Progress%20Portal/Files/pdf/OMBI%20Reports/2012%20OMBI%20Service%20Areas/Social%20Assistance%202012.pdf
Please Read my Other Blogs:
http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/social_development_finance__administration/files/pdf/censusbackgrounder_ageandsex_2011.pdf
Mode of travel:
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/2011003/tbl/tbl1a-eng.cfm
Social Assistance Stats: http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Managers%20Office/Toronto%20Progress%20Portal/Files/pdf/OMBI%20Reports/2012%20OMBI%20Service%20Areas/Social%20Assistance%202012.pdf
Please Read my Other Blogs:
Transportation: http://wheelchairdemon-transit.blogspot.com
Health: http://wheelchairdemon-health.blogspot.com
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