ODSP, APP and OW recipients will receive a payment of $75. Transit Windsor, working with the Social Service Department, will endeavour to issue payments as quickly as possible. Pass holders utilizing these programs are able to be identified through the various programs under which their passes are issued, along with Transit Windsor sales reports.
Regular 30- or 15-day passes for Adults, Students and Seniors will be refunded through an application process in the amounts of $50 and $25 per pass, respectively. Unlike the afore-mentioned programs where detailed customer information is available, bus pass purchasers in these categories would be required to provide proof of purchase in order to request payment. While Transit Windsor encourages all monthly pass holders to keep their monthly receipt for the length of time that their pass is valid, it is likely that a many transit riders will not have their receipt available. For purposes of estimating the potential financial impact, it has been assumed that approximately 30% of monthly pass holders will apply for this benefit. This percentage falls in line with other application based payments the city has administered in the past. It should also be noted that while not identified in the chart above, Tunnel Bus and Corporate ValuPass passes would also fall under this category. The number of these passes issued on a monthly basis are minimal and would not significantly impact the estimated total payments.
The UPass program is an agreement between the City of Windsor and University of Windsor Student Associations that allows students to receive a bus pass at a significantly discounted rate of $66 per semester as part of their tuition. In the 20192020 academic year, approximately 13,230 students paid into the UPass program. A payment of $25 for each pass issued would result in a payment of $330,750. This estimated payment would be issued as a lump sum to the University of Windsor Student Alliance for administration and distribution back to their students. The UWSA will be required to provide evidence and demonstrate refunds have been made to the eligible students. Any amounts not distributed will be required to be returned to the City.
Due to the use of estimates in the above analysis, the final amount of the total payment issued will fluctuate depending on individual verification of the final number of passes issued, the number of regular pass applications received, and through discussions with the University of Windsor Student Associations regarding the final number of passes issued under the UPass Program. Costs will be tracked in the Transit Windsor operating budget and updates on the financial impact of these recommendations will be brought back to Council as part of regular variance updates and will be tracked as a component of the overall corporate costs currently being tracked relating to the COVID19 Pandemic.
Consultations:
- Finance
- Social Services
Conclusion:
The decision to protect riders and drivers and to lower the risk of spreading COVID-19 in our community was not made in haste but rather was part of a series of ongoing