Any individual living in Toronto who arrived to Canada through the Canada–Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) immigration stream, and has been granted Emergency Assistance, is welcome to apply for Fair Pass. Emergency Assistance is considered Ontario Works for the purpose of a Fair Pass Application.
The Fair Pass Transit Discount Program is a City of Toronto poverty reduction initiative to make TTC and Wheel-Trans more affordable for low-income Toronto residents.
The program provides a 36 per cent discount on Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) adult single ride fares and a 21 per cent discount on TTC adult monthly passes. The discount is programmed onto a PRESTO card for 12 months and cardholders must load funds to that card to access the discount.
City of Toronto staff will review each application to determine your eligibility for the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program, based on the following criteria:
Apply for a Fair Pass Discount
Apply only if you are a new client, with a PRESTO card that does not have the Fair Pass discount. Current clients, please see “Maintaining Your Discount” section below.
The Fair Pass Transit Discount Program is administered by Toronto’s Application & Support Centre (ASC). This office falls under the Social Development, Finance, and Administration division’s Human Services Integration Office. The ASC will process all Fair Pass applications, renewals, and file updates.
Eligible residents will receive a 12-month Fair Pass discount programmed onto their PRESTO card. Cardholders will save $1.20 on the TTC adult fare for a single ride and $32.75 on a TTC adult monthly pass.
| TTC Fare Types | Regular Adult Fare* | Fair Pass User Pays | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Ride | $3.30 | $2.10 | $1.20 |
| Monthly Pass | $156.00 | $123.25 | $32.75 |
*Amounts are subject to change and based on TTC fares using PRESTO payment. Amounts were updated on April 3, 2023.
City of Toronto staff will review each application to determine eligibility.
City of Toronto residents between the age of 20 to 64, and meet one of the following sets of eligibility criteria:
*Applicants who receive other types of housing benefits, such as a Housing Allowance (a fixed amount per month through other low income support programs to help with the cost of housing), fixed rate rent supplements, simplified rental assistance, and Rent Bank loans or grants, are currently not eligible for Fair Pass. RGI Subsidy clients must have their monthly rental amount adjusted based on verified household income.
Statistics Canada determines the Low-Income Measure threshold by family size. For more information about the Low-Income Measure, visit Statistics Canada’s Low Income Measure After Tax (2020). For more information about defining family size, visit Statistics Canada’s Census Family definition.
Each member of a household receiving assistance through these programs must apply with their own PRESTO card.
TTC has other transportation discounts intended for clients under 20 or over 64 years of age. Clients outside of the age requirements are encouraged to pursue TTC Youth, Post-Secondary Students, and Seniors Discounts.
City of Toronto residents can apply online or by phone with the Application & Support Centre at 416-338-8888, selecting option 6.
If you apply online: You must have your PRESTO card number, email address, and your Member or Household ID (from OW, ODSP, or Children’s Services) or Notice of Decision letter from your housing provider (for RGI) ready to complete the application. You will receive an email notification regarding the outcome of your application.
If you apply by phone: You must have a PRESTO card number ready to complete the application. RGI applicants should also have their Notice of Decision letter from your housing provider. City of Toronto staff will inform you of your eligibility over the phone, and if you provide an email, you will receive an email notification regarding the outcome of your application.
If you are unable to complete the Fair Pass application online or by phone, you can request for a paper application to be mailed to you by contacting the Application & Support Centre at 416-338-8888, selecting option 6.
You will receive an email notification once the Fair Pass discount is applied to your PRESTO card. You will need to tap your card on a PRESTO device to activate the discount after 24 hours but within 30 days.
PRESTO cards must be activated before a Fair Pass discount can be successfully applied to the card. You can activate your card online, or through PRESTO’s Chat feature, or by calling PRESTO at 1-877-378-6123 and following the automated instructions. It can take up to 24 hours to process your activation. During this time, you won’t be able to use your card. After waiting 24 hours, you must tap on a PRESTO device within 30 days of activating to complete the activation process. The PRESTO card is not transferable and is intended for the approved Fair Pass discount cardholder only.
You must load money or an adult TTC Monthly Pass onto your PRESTO card. The Fair Pass discount will reduce the amount charged per ride or the TTC Monthly Pass cost purchased onto your PRESTO card. If you purchase an adult TTC monthly pass on your PRESTO card, the discount will be applied at the point of purchase for unlimited travel for the month. You will still need to tap your card on a PRESTO device instead of showing it to a collector or TTC operator.
The discount is only applied to TTC and Wheel-Trans fares. The discount will not be applied when the PRESTO card is used to pay for fares on other transit systems that accept PRESTO payments.
If your PRESTO Card number or email address has changed, or you are being charged a full fare when using the TTC, please contact the Application & Support Centre by calling 416-338-8888, selecting option 6.
Your Fair Pass discount is valid for a period of 12 months, after which it will be automatically renewed.
You do not need to submit a new application or consent form to renew your discount.
To support recovery and rebuilding from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be automatically renewing all Fair Pass clients in 2023. The ASC will attempt to renew the Fair Pass discount on the PRESTO card that is on file, and if you provided an email address, you will also receive a notification regarding the status of the renewal.
Once you receive the email that your renewal was successful, please wait 24 hours to activate and apply the renewal onto your PRESTO card. You will have 30 days to complete the activation process by tapping your card at any TTC PRESTO card reader.
If you are a registered PRESTO cardholder, you can confirm your discount expiration date by logging into your My PRESTO account.
You can purchase a new PRESTO card, declare a card lost or stolen, and load funds or purchase a TTC monthly pass on your PRESTO card through the following channels:
Clients unable to purchase a PRESTO card from Metrolinx can get a free PRESTO card while quantities last from Toronto Public Library’s Complimentary PRESTO card initiative.
When replacing your PRESTO card: PRESTO can transfer your old card’s remaining balance and your Fair Pass discount to your new card if you have a My PRESTO Account, but you must still notify the Application & Support Centre of your new PRESTO card number before your discount expires to complete the renewal process. If you do not have a My PRESTO Account, you will need to call the Application & Support Centre at 416-338-8888, select option 6, so the Fair Pass discount can be applied to your new card.
In 2016, Toronto City Council voted to establish the Fair Pass Program as part of the Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy, outlined in the staff report Fair Pass: Transit Fare Equity Program for Low-Income Torontonians. The Fair Pass Transit Discount Program is being implemented in phases and is subject to annual funding by Toronto City Council.
For more information on the Fair Pass Transit Discount Program’s pricing and coverage, program eligibility and definitions, the application process, and program maintenance and administration, request a copy of the program’s policy document by emailing prso@toronto.ca.
Last Updated February 2022