TransLink fares to increase on Canada Day

Jun 1 2021, 7:27 pm

Fares on Metro Vancouver’s public transit system will go up for the first time in two years at the start of next month.

TransLink is reminding the public that fares will see a nominal increase starting on Canada Day, July 1, 2021, rising by 5 cents for one-zone adult fare, 10 cents on a two-zone adult fare, and 15 cents on a three-zone fare using the Compass Card stored value.

Concession fares (children and seniors) will go up by 5 cents on one-zone and two-zone, and 10 cents on three-zone using stored value on the Compass Card.

On monthly passes, the adult fares will go up by $2.25 for one zone, $3 for two-zone, and $4.05 for three-zone. Concession monthly passes will increase by $1.30.

These fare increases amount to a 2.3% uptick to keep up with inflation and allow TransLink to maintain the system. Prior to the pandemic, the approved rate of increase for 2021 was originally planned at 4.1%.

All of this follows the cancellation of the 2020 fare increase of 4.6% due to COVID-19.

TransLink’s board of directors approved the 2021 fare increase early this spring.

According to TransLink, Metro Vancouver has the lowest average multi-mode adult cash fares of all major Canadian cities.

With depressed ridership of about 40% of normal pre-pandemic volumes, TransLink is currently operating services using $644 million in emergency operating funding from the provincial and federal governments. This funding is expected to cover all shortfalls to date through the end of 2021, when ridership is expected to see a significant rebound.

TransLink, BC Transit, and BC Ferries are required to cap their annual fare increases through 2024 in exchange for receiving emergency operating funding from senior governments.

translink 2021 fares

TransLink fares starting on July 1, 2021. (TransLink)

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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