TTC riders could soon be fined up to $425 for fare evasion

After a pandemic pause, the TTC is back on track to hand out hefty fines for fare evasion.

Beginning this fall, TTC riders could face fines up to $425 for refusing to pay their transit fare. A single adult fare in the city still costs $3.25 ($3.20 if using a PRESTO card).

According to spokesperson Stuart Green, fare evasion is costing the TTC tens of millions of dollars a year. In 2020, the agency reported an overall yearly revenue loss of $70.3 million.

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After a two-year hiatus, inspectors will be redeployed to hand out tickets in high-traffic areas downtown. The TTC has no set date, just that it’ll start sometime “this fall.”

Streetcars will be a major focus this year. Green says almost 5% of streetcar rides are not paid for, higher than buses and subways. The reason for that is likely due to the fact that there are multiple doors for entry and there’s no interaction between the driver and passengers. Anyone can hop on board a streetcar and not pay their fare.

Over the last two years, Green says the transit agency has been “developing new fare inspection protocols for training, ticketing and cautions” that they plan to roll out along with a new communications and marketing campaign.