Saskatoon to eliminate transit fees for children

Children in Saskatoon won't need to spend their pocket change to get around the city anymore.

City council voted unanimously during budget deliberations Friday to waive bus fares for children using public transportation starting in fall 2024. Children aged five to 13 are currently charged $2.25 to ride public transit.

Many councillors expressed belief that doing so would actually generate more revenue in the long term.

"There was certainly the potential that we would actually see additional revenues due to the adults that would ride with children," said Ward 8 Coun. Sarina Gersher.

"We are actually kind of mitigating the level of risk that we see around revenue loss."

Saskatoon is following in the footsteps of Regina, which cut children's bus fares in the summer of 2022.

A report highlighting Regina's success with the program played a role in Saskatoon's decision. It noted that Regina Transit had seen an increase of approximately 81,000 rides from youth under 13 only eight months after waiving the fees.

Councillors spoke passionately about the idea of more people engaging with public transit.

Ward 9 Coun. Bev Dubois is the chair of Saskatoon's transportation committee. She said it's important that "children take the bus and feel comfortable and safe on the bus."

"As they grow into adults, they'll hopefully continue taking the bus," she said.

The age limit and how children would prove their age was a large topic of discussion before the motion was passed.

Several age ranges were proposed, but students using the service until they were done Grade 8 seemed to be a popular suggestion.

Terry Schmidt, the general manager of Saskatoon transportation, said now that the motion has passed, he will prepare a report with age range suggestions and ideas on how to verify ages.

The report is expected in early 2024.