Transit users who need discounted passes but don’t have their government documentation because of delays can use expired cards for a week until they can purchase a new one.
During its Jan. 23 regular meeting, council unanimously agreed to authorize city hall to accept expired discount transit passes on buses for a seven-day grace period at the beginning of each month. This will allow the necessary paperwork from the Ministry of Social Services to arrive in the mail.
“Administration does not see any risk in implementing this request. The back of the pass can be stamped at point of sale to identify its eligibility for this request and presented to bus drivers during the seven-day grace period,” Darrin Stephanson, director of public works, said during the meeting.
Discounted bus passes are not available on the HotSpot app, he explained. City hall contacted the ministry about possibly providing information for the app, but the province said it could not provide the data because of privacy concerns.
“However, some recent information did come to light at our last special needs advisory committee that we got to do some investigation on that may allow us to introduce the HotSpot app,” Stephanson said, “but that’s to be determined at this point.”
Implementing this request will involve the department making a one-time purchase of a custom ink stamp for each sale location “at minimal cost,” he added.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Feb. 13.
