Students secure historic victory with discount TTC Metropass

TORONTO , Nov. 17 /CNW/ - Today, students successfully convinced members of the Toronto Transit Commission to extend the high school Metropass to public college and university students. This decision will save students who purchase Metropasses hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"This victory will help Toronto students pay for transit while they contend with record high tuition fees and youth unemployment," said Hamid Osman, Ontario Representative of the Canadian Federation of Students. "For the first time in the history of Toronto , college and university students are going to be able to pay a student rate for a Metropass starting next fall."

The Canadian Federation of Students and its Toronto member student associations launched the Fair Student Fares campaign when it was announced that a TTC fare increase would be introduced for all riders. The TTC voted in favour of granting post-secondary students access to the high school pass regardless of age and course load. Such a provision will allow all students to access the discounted Metropass.

"Graduate students and people returning to university and college face unique financial barriers and will benefit greatly from the decision to extend a pass to all students, regardless of age," said Sara Suliman, External Commissioner of the University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union.

"Part-time students often cease full-time studies because of high tuition fees and other financial considerations," said Mohammad Ali Aumeer, President of the Continuing Education Students' Association of Ryerson. "We applaud the TTC and chair Adam Giambrone for deciding to extend the discounted student rate to part-time degree and diploma students."

In less than two weeks, the Fair Student Fares campaign gathered more than 5,000 petition signatures and had almost 1,000 emails sent to Commission members urging them to protect students from fare increases. Extending the high school discount price to the Metropass will save students double what they save now from the Volume Incentive Program, and there will no longer be the possibility of passes selling out.

"The members of the TTC made an historic decision today that goes a long way to helping to make life more affordable for public college and university students in Toronto ," said Krisna Saravanamuttu, President of the York Federation of Students. "Students look forward to working with Toronto Transit Commissioners to implement this program and look for ways to extend other savings to students," he said.

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario represents more than 300,000 students across Ontario including more than 150,000 college and university students in the City of Toronto .

For further information: Hamid Osman, Ontario Representative, Canadian Federation of Students: [phone] (cell), [phone] (office); Joel Duff, Organiser, Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario: [phone] (cell)