Winnipeg bus fares are going up.
Metro council approved a 10-cent increase Thursday night.
Chairman Jack Willis cast the deciding ballot to break a four-four deadlock in favor of increasing fares.
Current single ride fares are 15 cents. The new fares, likely to come into effect in April, will be 25 cents for a single ride.
Before the new fares come into effect they have to be approved by the Manitoba Public Utilities Board.
Current fares, followed by recommended new fares are:
Supporting the increase, which represents a 40 per cent boost in the cost of a block of tickets, and a 72 per cent increase ii cash rides — were:
Councillors Lorne A. Leech, Thomas B. Findlay, J. W. McGurran, and Mr. Willis.
Opposed were councillors William Hutton, finance committee chairman Art Coulter, Andrew Robertson, and Kenneth Galanchuk.
Absent were Metro's vice-chairman Bernie Wolfe, who was attending an urban transportation conference and Councillor John P. Sulymko who is attending a northern Ontario municipal conference.
An amendment by Mr. Coulter calling for retention of existing fares, was defeated.
Twice he unsuccessfully tried, by voting, to hold another meeting "where the whole council could be present."
Each time there was a tie vote and Mr. Willis had to cast the deciding ballot overruling Mr. Coulter's suggestion.
The finance committee chairman said in his amendment that if fare increases took place, there would be a reduction of 12 per cent in the number of passengers. Riders would decline by some 7,566,000 a year, from 63,195,000 to some 55,629,000 he added.
When his amendment was turned down, Mr. Coulter said: "I feel it is a wrong decision for this council to make, by raising fares and not knowing the particular significance in doing so."