Starting in July 2022, a single metro ticket at the regular fare for a trip from Laval or Longueuil to Montreal will cost $5.25, an increase that has aroused the ire of certain citizens, who have launched a petition to denounce this new price.
The petition, named “Against the increase in metro ticket prices at Longueuil and Laval stations”, collected more than 1,700 signatures as of Wednesday evening. It was launched by Marie Magistry, a resident of Longueuil for more than 20 years who lives a few minutes walk from the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke station. “With such high prices, I often take my car since it costs me about the same price with parking,” she explains, lamenting an increase which in her eyes deters suburban residents living near stations. metro to use public transport.
The Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM) has announced last week the new fares for public transport tickets, which will be in effect as of July 2022. For travel from Laval or Longueuil to Montreal, the single ticket will cost $5.25. This ticket is of the “All modes AB” type, i.e. it is valid for the bus, metro, train and, one day, the REM and to travel everywhere in Montreal, Laval and Longueuil.
This option can therefore be economical for someone living far from the metro and having to use several means of transport to get around. But for people who live next to a metro station, the cost for a single trip in the underground network is therefore $5.25.
“I find it unfair for people who have settled near a metro,” denounces Marie Magistry, who says that proximity to a station was one of her criteria when she selected her accommodation. Another disgruntled citizen residing in Laval, Thierry Lavallée, also claims to take his car rather than public transit because of the rising cost of the ticket. “We have a lot of friends and family in Montreal, and when our family or our friends want to come see us, they have to pay more to come back when they already have the ticket for the metro, he laments. It’s like living in another country. »
A title that should “evolve”
Joined by The duty, the ARTM’s senior public affairs and media relations advisor, Simon Charbonneau, defended the new fees. “The “All Modes” titles offer flexibility that will be more and more appreciable, and they will allow [aux usagers] consider a greater variety of public transit trips. He also specifies that this new pricing puts an end to “the double bus/metro pricing which is the great reality of occasional use”, in addition to proving to be economical if passengers opt for the multi-passenger formula, which costs 4.50 $ per trip.
“We are going from a trip at $7 ($3.50 at the RTL or the STL, plus $3.50 at the STM) or at $10.50 in certain cases currently, to a trip at $4.50 “, he underlines.
He also explains that the rate chosen by the ARTM is zonal, which explains the increase to $5.25, while the unit rate remains at $3.50 on the island of Montreal this year. “We didn’t invent that in Montreal, it’s the essence of several transportation systems in major cities around the world,” he says.
Mr. Charbonneau also affirms that “the title will evolve over time” and that “developments are being looked at, especially in Longueuil”.
This text has been updated after publication to add details from Simon Charbonneau on bus and metro routes.