TTC fares could go up by 10 cents by Feb. 1 but Toronto city council will do what it can to avoid the increase, according to Mayor Rob Ford.

Ford made the announcement Monday morning as he released his plan for the 2011 budget.

"I am not happy about this," he said.

Although the adult cash fare is expected to stay the same at $3, the price of all metropasses and tokens are expected to increase to the following

  • Weekly metropass, from $36 to $37.25
  • Monthly metropass, from $121 to $126
  • Tokens (when bought in numerous quanitities), from $2.50 to $2.60
  • VIP, from $107 to $111.25
  • MDP, from $111 to $115.50

Cash fares for students, seniors and children will not go up but the price of tickets and a metropass will in the following manner:

  • Tickets, from $1.65 to $1.75
  • Weekly Pass, from $28.00 to $29.75
  • Regular Metropass, from $99.00 to $104.00
  • MDP, from $89.00 to $94.00

A day pass will go up by 50 cents, from $10 to $10.50

For the average TTC Metropass user, fares will go up by $60 a year. Late last year, Ford fulfilled one of his main campaign promises to drivers by cutting the $60 vehicle registration tax.

Ford said he expects the TTC will improve considerably by September not only with its overall cleanliness but also with its service, particularly with WheelTrans.

Overcrowded routes will receive additional service but no routes will be cut. For a full list of service changes, click here.

Police budget meeting 'constructive'

Ford announced other increases as well in a budget he said was built with "respect for taxpayers." Major service cuts were avoided because of the city's surplus.

Nonetheless, water rates will go up by 9 per cent as was previously announced in order to deal with the city's aging infrastructure. Garbage pickup rates will increase by 3 per cent. There will not be a property tax increase this year.

Each city department was asked to come up with significant savings in preparation for the budget. Some departments, namely the library and the police services board, asked for increases in spending instead.

The mayor had a stern warning for those agencies.

"If they can't manage effectively in the interest of the taxpayers, we will find new managers if they can't do it," he said.

But the mayor softened his tune by Monday afternoon after he met with Toronto Police Chief face to face in his office for a brief meeting.

The two men briefly spoke to reporters after the meeting. Ford called their conversation "very, very constructive."

Blair said he had listened to Ford's concerns and he would be discussing them with the board at their next meeting, scheduled for 4 p.m. today.

"We've gone over various aspects of the police budget and we've come to a far better understanding," said Blair. "I am very confident that we'll be able to address the mayor's concerns with respect to the budget."

City service review for 2012

Ford was quick to remind the public about the following spending cuts that have been made at city hall since he came into power in December.

  • No more free meals at council meetings
  • No more newspaper clippings at a cost of $170,000 per year
  • Cuts to council and mayor's expense budgets

The total savings is about $900,000 according to the mayor's office.

Ford said he has also saved the city money by moving up budget deliberations to January.

"For years, the city's budget has been finalized in April. That meant the city was spending money for up to 4 months every year before the budget was approved," he said. "No successful business operates this way. The city shouldn't either. It is irresponsible, and it will not continue."

In March, the city will begin to prepare for the 2012 budget by commissioning a third party to review city services in detail.

"They will go through the city's finances with a fine tooth comb to find efficient and savings," said Ford. "They will leave no stone unturned. I am confident they will find opportunities to limit our structural deficit once and for all."

Ford said the city manager has been instructed to come up with a budget that is balanced and identifies all revenues, produces a zero per cent property tax increase with no major service cuts.