Mayoral Candidate Patrick Brown pledged support today for free transit for Brampton’s seniors. Brown referenced the Brampton 2040 Vision work completed by the city earlier this year in which a recommendation was made for free public transit for all residents.
Brown cited a number of benefits the program would offer, including making life more affordable for seniors on a fixed budget, enabling them to travel to their medical appointments, and removing vehicles off of the roads. He stated that “rather than wait 5 or 10 or 20 years, we are going to start right away and make sure we have an affordable and accessibility city and it will start with our seniors.”
Brown estimates that cost to implement the program to be in the $500,000 range and expects to be able to pay for the program through increased advertising opportunities in the transit system. When asked about supporting free transit for high school students, Brown responded that the vision includes all members of the public and that seniors are the first group that will benefit.