Transit trips up among seniors since Montreal introduced free fare program, city says
MONTREAL — A costly program offering free public transportation fares to Montreal seniors is paying off, the city said in a recent report as it documented a spike in transit use among people age 65 and older.
In the six months since the program launched on July 1, 2023, the city said the number of trips taken by those in the target age group surged between 15 and 20 per cent. The findings were contained in a 2025 budget planning document the city published Tuesday.
Forty-seven per cent of eligible Montreal-area residents had signed up for the program by the end of 2023, the city said.
“The measure has therefore resulted in both savings and increased mobility for seniors,” the document reads.