Public transit in Belleville is facing a perfect storm of challenges, and riders are about to feel the impact. Here’s the hard truth: fares are set to rise in January, and it’s not just about balancing the books—it’s about survival. On Monday, the city’s Transit Operations Advisory Committee recommended a fare hike, pushing the regular bus fare from $3.25 to $4 and monthly passes from $80 to $85. But what’s driving this change? And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just one issue—it’s a combination of factors, from international trade policies to federal student visa restrictions, that are squeezing the system from all sides.
Councillor Kathryn Brown, chair of the advisory committee, points to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as a major culprit. Here’s where it gets controversial: these tariffs are inflating maintenance and operating costs because many bus parts are manufactured exclusively in the U.S. For conventional buses, the tariff is 10%, but for mobility transit vehicle parts, it jumps to a staggering 25%. Brown explains, “We’re paying these tariffs on every part we need to keep our buses running, and there’s no alternative supplier.”
But tariffs aren’t the only problem. The federal government’s recent cap on international student visas has hit Belleville hard, particularly institutions like Loyalist College. Here’s the kicker: fewer international students mean fewer riders, and that’s a big deal for a transit system that relies on ridership numbers to stay afloat. In October, conventional bus ridership dropped to 103,487 rides—a sharp decline of 66,651 rides compared to October 2024, before the policy change. This drop forced Belleville Transit to cut one of its express routes to the college and redirect resources to busier north-south routes like Sidney and North Front streets.
Faced with these dual challenges, the committee had two tough choices: reduce service levels to cut costs or raise fares to boost revenue. Here’s the bold decision they made: they chose to increase fares, a move that’s sure to spark debate. Brown defends the decision, stating, “No public transit system can survive on fares alone—they all need subsidies. Our goal is a 35-65 split between riders and taxpayers. With tariffs and lower ridership, fares were only covering 25% of costs. This increase gets us closer to 30%, easing the burden on taxpayers.”
But here’s the question that’s bound to divide opinions: Is raising fares the fairest solution, or are riders being asked to shoulder too much of the burden? And what does this mean for the future of public transit in smaller cities like Belleville? As the changes take effect on January 1, Belleville Transit plans a public awareness campaign to explain the reasons behind the hike. But the real conversation is just beginning. What do you think? Is this the right move, or is there a better way to keep public transit sustainable? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
