N.B. subsidized bus passes almost doubled in price this year
Those on social assistance who buy monthly bus passes in North Battleford will have to pay almost double for the service now.
The City of North Battleford increased the price of subsidized bus passes from $20 to $35 in the New Year.
According to Transit Manager Paul Robertson, his hand was forced in order to balance the budget. He said the change was to make up for $12,000 Social Services were no longer paying the city due to their own budget issues.
“At the beginning of the year they changed their policy to say they were just going to give us the money for the amount of tickets sold and the $12,000 wasn’t forthcoming,” Robertson said. “This left my budget $12,000 short. The demography of North Battleford doesn’t allow me a $12,000 increase in fares. The only way to make it up was to increase the prices.”