A coalition of Whitehorse non-profits presented to city council about the city’s transit system.
Representatives from the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre, Climate Action Yukon and the city’s youth spoke to council members, requesting free transit, more frequent bus times and an expanded bus schedule and route network.
Delegate Jane Robinson-Boivin, representing the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre, asked council to consider expanding bus service hours to earlier than 6 a.m. and as late as 10 p.m. Most weekday routes in the city have a first bus between 6:30 and 7 a.m., and a last bus between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., with reduced hours on weekends.
“At the centre, we hear from women and gender diverse people who are forced to walk home in minus 40 weather because they feel unsafe taking a taxi or simply can't afford one. For many, especially those working late shifts or fleeing unsafe situations, walking alone is not a viable option either, yet that's often the only choice they're left with,” said Robinson-Boivin.
Robinson-Boivin also said many people start work as early as 5 a.m., and if they have to take a taxi to work, it can cost them a full hour’s wages.
She said other smaller cities across the country, like Stratford, Ont. (pop. 33,000), run their buses later. A bus schedule for the Stratford's transit system shows the first bus leaving at 6 a.m. and the last bus departing at 9:30 p.m.
Audrey Provan, a high school student, said the bus schedule within the city does not meet the needs of youth. Many students work after school, and finish their shifts after the last busses have come and gone.
“The current schedules do not take into account those who do not work a typical nine-to-five job,” they told council members. “Young people are forced to take taxis or walk home, both of which pose significant safety concerns and put them in extremely vulnerable situations.”
Provan also urged council to increase bus services to one bus every 30 minutes.
Provan encouraged council to make transit free for all user groups — something called for by another delegate, Robin Reid-Fraser of the Yukon Climate Action Network.
“Ultimately, I believe we need a system where fare-free busses reliably come more often in more parts of the city and run later into the night,” said Reid-Fraser. “I know that expanding the transit system takes time to update routes, purchase more busses and hire and train more staff. Making transit fare-free is a change that can be made much more quickly, as long as the political will is there.”
In October 2024, the territorial government announced it would start providing free transit tickets and passes to “those who need help the most” in Whitehorse. These free tickets and passes are available at the Jim Smith Building and the Whitehorse Public Library according to the press release that was issued Oct. 17, 2024.
In a follow-up conversation with the News, Reid-Fraser said the current program only makes transit free for certain individuals - and makes those individuals go to certain, limited locations which can only provide a number of limited passes and tickets. A person without fare cannot just get on a bus spontaneously, Reid-Fraser said, and the current system still poses a lot of barriers.
Non-profits are also able to distribute free tickets under the Yukon government program. One of those non-profits is the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, who also spoke to councillors.
Representative Keitha Clark asked that councillors not increase the transit fares as proposed in the operations budget.
READ MORE: Tax hike proposed in 2025-2027 City of Whitehorse operating budget
In an interview with the News before the council meeting, Clark questioned whether the revenues generated by increasing fares by one dollar warranted the impact it will have on the community.
“There are other ways where we can reallocate funding,” she said. “Often the people that ride the bus, that are often in financially precarious positions. They're trying to use the bus to get to work. They're trying to use the bus to get to school, they’re trying to use the bus to get to cancer treatments.”
The Yukon NDP have come out firmly against the fare increase.
Leader Kate White said she was disappointed by the fare increase, which she said was a disproportionate tax on transit users.
She pointed out that the increase from 2.50 to 3.50 constitutes a 40 per cent increase, compared with the 4.62 per cent increase on property taxes. She said the new fare would be more expensive than fares in Yellowknife ($2), Smithers ($2.25 to $2.75), Prince George ($2.50), and even Vancouver ($3.20 for Vancouver proper).
“So it's great to know that Whitehorse will have the most expensive public transit in comparable municipalities. If that's the legacy that the city council wants to leave, then, you know, I guess that's the legacy they want to leave,” said White.
“If the city feels like that disproportionate hike for transit is going to get them out of, like, the challenge that they're in, I think they're wrong,” she said.
The News has reported previously on the city’s financial situation, and in his address for the current proposed operating budget, Mayor Kirk Cameron emphasized the budget wouldn’t result in a decrease to the city reserves.
Matthew Cameron, a spokesperson for the city, said the fare increase is expected to increase revenues by $620,000 annually. The increase would not come close to covering expenses, he said, and if the increase goes ahead, the revenues would cover roughly a third of operating costs.
He added that the fares had not been increased since 2008.
Council is holding a public input session on the proposed operations budget on Feb. 10, 2025
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
