Metrolinx proposes steep fare evasion fines on GO Transit and UP Express
First-time offenders could face $200 fines instead of $35 under new penalty structure set for Sept. 8 implementation.
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Metrolinx staff are proposing a major increase in fare evasion penalties on GO Transit and UP Express, with the changes set for a board vote Thursday and potential implementation on September 8.
Under the new structure, a first-time offence fine would jump from $35 (plus $25 late payment charge) to $200. Second offences would rise from $50 to $300; third offences from $100 to $400; fourth offences from a provincial notice to $500. Fifth and sixth-plus offences would face $500 and up to $1,000 respectively in court-determined fines.
Staff project the increased fines could generate $6.79 to $10.18 million in additional annual revenue, though they acknowledged the risk that higher penalties may discourage voluntary payment. The proposal comes nearly four years after graduated fines were first introduced. During the 2025-2026 fiscal year, 1,557,243 inspections were conducted on GO and UP Express vehicles, with 5.02 per cent finding passengers without valid proof of fare. The report notes that a one per cent reduction in fare evasion recovers approximately $4.3 million annually.