Applications open for low income transit pass

_ (Via City of Ottawa) _ ** Ottawa ** – Eligible residents can now apply for OC Transpo’s EquiPass, a new affordable monthly transit pass that provides a lower-priced transit option for individuals or families who live on low incomes.

The pass is priced at $57 per month, providing a 50 per cent discount on a monthly adult transit pass. A single adult using the EquiPass will save $56.75 each month, or $681 each year.

The EquiPass is available to City of Ottawa residents whose household income falls below the low-income cut-off threshold, as set out annually by the Government of Canada. The low-income cut-off indicates an income threshold below which an individual or family is likely to spend significantly more of its income on food, shelter and clothing.

The EquiPass is only available to eligible customers upon completing an application form. Once approved, eligible customers will be able to purchase the discounted pass for use as of April 1, 2017. The pass is valid for travel on all OC Transpo services, including Para Transpo and the O-Train Trillium Line, as well as STO services.

Applications can be downloaded from octranspo.com or picked up in person at all OC Transpo Customer Service Centres, City of Ottawa Client Service Centres, Ottawa Public Libraries and Social Support Centres.  Applications can also be picked up at many community partner locations, including Community Health and Resource Centres, Community Houses and settlement agencies. Completed applications can be mailed to OC Transpo or dropped off in person at an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre or one of 15 other designated locations.

The review and approval process will generally take up to three weeks, after which customers whose applications are approved will be able to visit an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre to set the EquiPass discount on their Presto card.

The launch of the EquiPass application would not have been possible without the support and dedicated efforts of numerous community partner organizations. OC Transpo and Community and Social Services have been working closely with them over the last number of months to promote the EquiPass, develop the application form and distribute it to pick-up locations, and moving forward, they will be providing assistance to those who need help filling it out.

For more information on how to apply for the EquiPass, including a full list of application pick-up and drop-off locations, please visit octranspo.com . The City has also released information on how residents can apply for the EquiPass at ottawa.ca .

City Council approved $2.7 million for the provision of the EquiPass in the 2017 Budget. This is the largest one-time increase in financial support for transit customers in the City’s history.