Public transit users can expect to pay $1 per trip more as of Feb. 1, 2023.

Moose Jaw City Council approved increasing cash fares for both regular transit as well as paratransit services. Transit cash fares will increase from $2.25 per trip to $3.25 per trip. Paratransit fares will go up from $1.50 to $2.50 and will be on par with regular transit at $3.25 by Jan. 1, 2024. Transit pass fees will remain unchanged.

"We expect the impact on current paratransit customers to be a little bit smaller in magnitude as the vast majority of our users of that service purchase passes. We've done a review earlier this year on pass rates and we feel they are all appropriately priced so we are not looking to make an adjustment on our pass rates, only to our point-of-sale or cash sales at the door," said director of public works Darrin Stephanson.

In 2017, the transit and paratransit rates were reduced from $2.50 to $1.25 per trip to increase ridership. A review in 2020 showed that the lower fares had no impact on the ridership numbers. Mayor Clive Tolley said taking away transit isn't an option, but it has to be utilized by the citizens.

"A community needs a transit system, but when there are so few people riding at certain times it really alarms the rest of the citizens when they see three people on the bus, so we really need the community to respond and use the service more often," he said.

The city is estimating in its 2023 budget that transit services will have a cost recovery of only 32 per cent as the cost for fuel and repairs has risen. In 2022, the transit service has a cost recovery of about 27 per cent. The service has been subsidized for over $1 million yearly for the past few years.

Councilllors Heather Eby and Jamey Logan noted that council only had two options, raise rates or pass the expense on to the general taxpayer.

"The shortfall needs to be funded somewhere. If we were at par with other centres, and if we were at a reasonable rate to begin with, I would be more inclined to pass it along to the general taxpayer. However, because it is such a cheap fare rate and because it is so low-priced at this time, I feel the correct move is to do exactly with the recommendation says and raise the rate up to par with other centres," Logan said.

Moose Jaw's transit fares, compared to other cities, have been low. Yorkton charges $4 and Regina sits at $3.25. Meanwhile, Saskatoon and Swift Current charge $3 and Prince Albert charges $2.50.