A Monrtreal-based think tank is floating a radical idea in the middle of a municipal election campaign — make public transit free for everyone.
The Institut de recherche et d'informations socio-économiques (IRIS) released a report to that effect on Thursday, suggesting making public transit free across the board would help ease traffic, greenhouse gas emissions, health care costs, and generally improve quality of life for Montrealers.
Such a move would cost the city in the neighborhood of $620 million — but IRIS insists the benefits would outweigh the costs.
"The experiences of free public transit elsewhere in Quebec and internationally show that they have undeniable impacts on traffic flows, improving the quality of life and the purchasing power of public transit,” said IRIS researcher Bertrand Schepper.
He points out the city has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by the year 2050, and boosting ridership on buses and metros would be a big step toward achieving that target.
Schepper says that it doesn't have to happen all at once — that it could be done bit by bit.
"If students and older people would have free access, it would cost around $107 million," he says. "If, for example, only people getting on the Montreal area — on the island — would use public transportation, that would cost $507 million,” said Schepper.
Projet Montreal mayoralty hopeful Valerie Plante says she'd be okay with free transit for students and seniors.
"I have kids, so I know what it is to buy a pass for myself, my husband, and my two kids. It's a lot of pressure for families," she says, "We will support free public transit for youth and for [the elderly]. This is what we're going for."
Mayor Denis Coderre, meantime, suggests making public transit free for people, or certain constituencies, isn't realistic — but he's always looking for ways to make the transit burden a little lighter for some people.
"She's saying that everything should be free," the mayor says. "Where are we going to find the money? We have to make sure that we have the best approach and the best services, but at the end of the day, somebody's going to have to pay for it."