Nov. 21, 2025: Youth U-Pass Options

To	Mayor and Members of Council, Chair and Members of the Transit Committee
From	Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services Department
Subject	Youth U-Pass Options: Response to Motion TTC 2024-16-06 and Inquiry TC-2025-06
Date	November 21, 2025

The purpose of this memo is to provide Members of Council with the information requested in Motion TTC 2024-16-10 and Inquiry TC-2025-06.

The motion, regarding potential options for Youth Fares, was referred to Council by the Transit Commission and carried on December 11, 2024:

Be it further resolved that City Council approve the following as a replacement to Transit Commission Recommendation 4:

Direct staff to collaborate with OSTA and stakeholders to advocate for a sustainable model for student transit funding from the Province, ensuring equitable and affordable solutions for youth transit users that reflects the true cost to the City of transporting students, and therefore the subsidization of provincially-funded budgets;
That Council direct staff in collaboration with city elected officials, to explore provincial funding and work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and local school boards on the potential feasibility of the development of a U-Pass for students under 18 years of age; and
That if such a pass is developed, staff, in collaboration with city elected officials, liaise with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Ontario Public Transit Association and any interested Ontario municipalities to explore opportunities to expand this endeavour province-wide.

The inquiry received on September 11, 2025, from Councillor Menard (on behalf of Councillor Dudas), asked staff to review the following:

Looking at best practices from other municipalities across Canada, how do their transit services support youth transit, in comparison to Ottawa?
How do other Canadian transit systems that have direct arrangements with local school boards support student transportation?
Are there other recommendations or strategies that could be considered to better support youth transit, specifically including those who are not receiving a transit pass through their school board or transportation authority?

The inquiry also requested staff to review options for:

Discounted single fares for youth aged 12–18
A monthly Youth Pass available exclusively to individual riders
A discounted Summer Youth Pass available for July and August

Background

As of September 1, 2025, the following fares are in place for youth:

Transit customers aged 10 and under travel for free
Transit customers aged 11 and 12 pay $2.00 per trip (a 50 per cent discount from the regular full adult fare)
Transit customers aged 13-64 pay the regular full fare of $4.00 per trip, or $135.00 per month

Approximately 92 per cent of youth monthly passes sold during the 2024-25 school year were to school boards, using funds from the Province of Ontario. Yellow bus transportation for school boards is also funded by the Province. With the removal of the former discounted monthly passes for youth in 2025, the fare revenue from the school boards now covers most of the cost of the special services that the City provides to the school boards’ specifications.

It is estimated that customers aged 11 to 18 make over 14 million customer-trips per year (20 per cent of the annual total ridership on OC Transpo).

The cost of operating the current school trips is approximately $18 million per year. Of the full fleet of buses that the City owns, 98 are required (81 in service each weekday plus 17 maintenance spares) solely to provide the current school trips. The capital cost contribution, assuming each bus has a service life of 15 years, is approximately $13 million per year. (These costs do not include the capacity that is used by student travellers on regular OC Transpo routes).

Transit services to high school students vary across cities and provinces and there is currently no consistent approach amongst Canadian transit agencies. Some cities, including Kingston, Halifax, Victoria and Québec City, offer free transit passes to eligible students through school-based programs or government funding. Other cities, including Regina and Calgary, provide limited pilot programs or a select number of express routes. Brampton, Durham Region, York Region, and Mississauga offer discounted fares or loyalty programs, but do not provide universally free access. Eligibility criteria, age ranges, pricing structures and program availability vary widely.

Options for Future Youth Passes

As directed by Council, staff have explored the feasibility of developing the equivalent of a UPass for students aged 18 and under.

Staff met with representatives of both the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA), which coordinates transportation for the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), and the Consortium de transport scolaire d’Ottawa (CTSO), which coordinates transportation for the Conseil des écoles publiques de l‘Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) and Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE). The student transportation authorities work with City staff to plan OC Transpo school trips, distribute transit passes to students who are assigned to travel on OC Transpo services, and contract with private companies to provide student transportation using yellow school buses. The student transportation authorities purchase transit passes from the City using funding provided by the Province of Ontario through the four school boards.

The representatives of the student transportation authorities indicated their willingness to collaborate with the City if a Youth U-Pass were developed. They provided information on the number of students who now travel on yellow school buses, for which capacity would be required on OC Transpo services if a comprehensive Youth U-Pass were in place. They also provided caution on the availability of funding from the province outside of the current practices, in the absence of provincial policy supporting this type of transit fare across Ontario.

Below is a description of five potential options for a Youth U-Pass program, which include preliminary, high-level cost estimates and other considerations.

Option A: Full Youth U-Pass

This option, if feasible, would allow free transit for all students in grades 7 through 12, funded from a defined source. OC Transpo would need to expand its fleet and service significantly to replace all the yellow school bus service for this age cohort in the urban area. Under this option, yellow school buses would continue to serve students in Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 6 in the urban area, and all students in the rural areas of the city.

Eligibility: Any student from grade 7 to 12 enrolled in a public school.
Validity: Full year, any time of day.
Capital Costs: Estimated to be between $740 million and $1.13 billion.
- OC Transpo would require an additional fleet of either approximately 245 new 40- foot buses or approximately 157 new 60-foot buses to accommodate the increase in ridership.
- The range in capital costs for 40-foot and 60-foot buses, with diesel or zeroemission propulsion, could be between $236 million and $429 million.
- OC Transpo would also require new bus maintenance facilities to support these additional buses, which could range between $500 million and $700 million to build.
Operating Costs: $33 million per year
- OC Transpo would be required to operate the additional buses needed to accommodate the increase in students being transported. This amount would cover the salaries for additional operators and maintenance staff, and the maintenance and fuel costs of the buses
- Some additional costs, not yet estimated, could be required to administer this type of program, depending on the funding source.
Impact on fare revenue: $1.3 million per year
- There would be an estimated $1.3 million decrease in existing fare revenue per year, as a result of students who currently receive yellow bus service and make some paid OC Transpo trips today, who would be covered under the potential UPass in the future if this option were to proceed. This cost would need to be recouped from a defined funding source.
- Misuse of cards could further impact fare revenue, above the amount noted above. The degree of misuse would not be known until such a program were in place.
Other Impacts
- Current employment/contracting to yellow school bus companies by the school boards’ student transportation authorities would be impacted.
- A significant share of provincial school transportation funding would need to be allocated to the City to cover the additional costs listed above.
- Implementation could take several years, due to bus procurement timelines and the time to site, design, and build new bus maintenance facilities.
Risks
- No likely funding source has been identified for this option.

Option B: Modified Youth U-Pass

This option would allow free transit for all students in grades 7 through 12 but would not increase the number of students directed to use OC Transpo for their school travel. OC Transpo and yellow bus service would remain allocated as it generally is today, for all grade levels, in all areas of the city. Growth in student ridership would continue proportionally between OC Transpo and yellow buses.

Eligibility: Any student from grade 7 to 12 enrolled in a public school.
Validity: Full year, any time of day.
Capital Costs: Estimated to be between $87 million and $143 million.
- OC Transpo would require an additional fleet of either approximately 90 new 40-foot buses or approximately 58 new 60-foot buses to accommodate the increase in ridership.
- The range in capital costs represents options for 40-foot and 60-foot buses, with diesel or zero-emission propulsion.
Operating Costs: $3 million per year
- OC Transpo would be required to operate the additional buses needed to accommodate the estimated additional ridership. This amount would cover the salaries for additional operators and maintenance staff, and the maintenance and fuel costs of the buses.
- Some additional costs, not yet estimated, could be required to administer this type of program, depending on the funding source
Impact on fare revenue: $1.3 million per year
- There would be an estimated $1.3 million decrease in existing fare revenue per year, as a result of students who would continue to receive yellow bus service and make some paid OC Transpo trips today but would in future make those trips at no charge.
- Misuse of cards could further impact fare revenue, above the amount noted above. The degree of misuse would not be known until such a program were in place.
Other Impacts
- The City would require additional funding to cover capital costs and reduced fare revenue.
- Implementation could take several years, due to bus procurement timelines.
Risks
- This option would have no inherent control on the number of students who choose or are directed to use OC Transpo services, which could add pressure to add capacity, at significant capital and operating costs.
- No likely funding source has been identified for this option.

Option C: Free fares for students at select times

This option would provide free transit to students after 5 pm on school days, and at all times on weekends, public holidays and school breaks. There would be no impact on OC Transpo service or yellow bus service. This would be similar to the Multi-Jeunesse program offered by the Ville de Gatineau and the STO.

Eligibility: All students aged 11 to 18 attending elementary or high school in Ottawa
Validity: Free rides after 5 pm on school days, and at all times on weekends, public holidays and school breaks
Capital Costs: None
- No additional capital costs are required. Capacity is available on all OC Transpo services at these times.
Operating Costs: None\
- No additional operating cost would be incurred. Capacity is available on all OC Transpo services at these times.
- Current fleet capacity and service levels are expected to accommodate this new ridership.
- Some costs, not yet estimated, could be required to administer this type of program.
Impact on fare revenue: $0.75 million per year
An estimated $0.75 million decrease in fare revenue per year would be expected, for current single-ride trips made by students during the validity period that would no longer be paid.
Misuse of cards could further impact fare revenue, above the amount noted above. The degree of misuse would not be known until such a program were in place.
Other Impacts
If the current bus capacity and service levels cannot accommodate the additional ridership as system-wide ridership grows, OC Transpo could incur additional capital and operating costs.
The City would need additional funding to cover the lost fare revenue.
OC Transpo would require software development/upgrades to enable time-based (weekdays after 5 pm) fares for student smartcards.
Risks
No funding source has been identified for this option.
Possible misuse of free student smartcards by customers who are not eligible to use them.

Option D: Free fares for students on weekends year-round

This option would provide all students with a transit pass for free travel on weekends only, year- round. There would be no impact on OC Transpo service or yellow school bus service.

Eligibility: All students aged 11 to 18 attending elementary or high school in Ottawa.
Validity: Free transit on weekends year-round.
Capital Costs: None
- No additional capital costs are required.
Eligibility: All students aged 11 to 18 attending elementary or high school in Ottawa.
Validity: Free transit on weekends year-round.
Capital Costs: None
- No additional capital costs are required.
Operating Costs: None
- No additional operating costs would be incurred.
- Current fleet capacity and service levels are expected to accommodate this new ridership.
- Some costs, not yet estimated, could be required to administer this type of program.
Impact on fare revenue: $0.23 million per year
- An estimated $0.23 million decrease in fare revenue per year would be expected, for current single-ride trips made by students during the validity period that would no longer be paid.
- Misuse of cards could further impact fare revenue, above the amount noted above. The degree of misuse would not be known until such a program were in place.
Other Impacts
- If current bus capacity and service levels cannot accommodate the additional ridership as system-wide ridership grows, OC Transpo could incur additional capital and operating costs.
- The City would need additional funding to cover the lost fare revenue.
Risks
- No funding source has been identified for this option.
- Possible misuse of free student smartcards by customers who are not eligible to use them.

Option E: Free fares for students during summer break

This option would provide all students with a transit pass for free travel at all times during the school summer break, during July and August. There would be no impact on OC Transpo or yellow school bus service.

Eligibility: All students aged 11 to 18 attending elementary or high school in Ottawa.
Validity: Free transit at all times, during the school summer break.
Capital Costs: None
- No additional capital costs are required.
Operating Costs: None
- No additional operating costs would be incurred.
- Current fleet capacity and service levels are expected to accommodate this new ridership.
- Some costs, not yet estimated, could be required to administer this type of program, for the City and for the school boards.
Impact on fare revenue: $0.42 million per year
- An estimated $0.42 million decrease in fare revenue per year would be expected, for current single-ride trips made by students during the validity period that would no longer be paid.
- Misuse of cards could further impact fare revenue, above the amount noted above. The degree of misuse would not be known until such a program were in place.
Other Impacts
- If current bus capacity and service levels cannot accommodate the additional ridership, OC Transpo could incur additional capital and operating costs.
- The City would need additional funding to cover the lost fare revenue.
Risks
- No funding source has been identified for this option.
- Possible misuse of free student smartcards by customers who are not eligible to use them.

Comparison Chart (all estimates are in 2025 dollars):

	Option A Youth U-Pass replacing yellow school buses	Option B Youth U-Pass retaining yellow school buses	Option C Students travel free evenings, weekends, and summer	Option D Students travel free on weekends	Option E Students travel free in summer
Estimated new ridership	13,600,000/year	5,300,000/year	675,000/year	180,000/year	140,000/year
Capital cost for additional buses	$236 M–$429 M (depends on bus size & tech)	$87 M–$143 M (depends on bus size & tech)	$0	$0	$0
Capital cost for additional maintenance facilities	$500 M–$700 M	$500 M–$700 M	$0	$0	$0
Additiona operating cost per year	$33 M	$3 M	$0	$0	$0
Revenue loss per year	($1.3 M)	($1.3 M)	($0.75 M)	($0.23 M)	($0.42 M)
Tota funding required	$33 M/year $236 M–$429 M every 15 years $500 M–$700 M one-time	$3 M/year $87 M–$143 M every 15 years $500 M–$700 M one-time	$0.75 M/year	$0.23 M/year	$0.42 M/year

Notes: Current fleet and service levels are expected to accommodate the increase in ridership resulting from Options C, D, and E. No funding source exists for any of these options.

Next steps

Staff will present these five options to the Transit Long-Range Financial Plan Working Group for their consideration.

A separate memo responding to direction from Council on the OC Transpo fare structure will also be issued in conjunction with this memo.If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Original signed by
Troy Charter

cc:Senior Leadership Team
Transit Services Departmental Leadership Team
Director, Public Information and Media Relations