EquiPass

EquiPass is a discounted monthly transit pass or single-ride fare that provides a lower-priced transit option for individuals or families who live on low incomes.

If you choose a monthly plan with unlimited rides, the EquiPass monthly pass costs $58.25 per month. Should you travel less than 34 rides in a calendar month, then the EquiPass single-ride fare is a better option at a $1.75 per ride. These are the 2024 prices and are subject to regular fare changes.

The EquiPass discount is available to City of Ottawa residents whose household income falls below the low-income cut-off (LICO) threshold, as set out annually by the Government of Canada.

Individuals who meet any of the following criteria:

• Household income is above the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) threshold as defined by the government of Canada.
• Those receiving Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits. You are eligible for a Community Pass.
• Those who are 65 years of age or older, as you are eligible for OC Transpo’s Seniors Pass*

* Individuals are only entitled to one fare discount. Seniors who meet the income level entry and benefits more from the EquiPass discount over the Senior discount, will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Some newcomer refugees will be eligible, depending on the nature of their sponsorship arrangements.

• Refugees of all ages
• Privately sponsored refugees
• Inland claimants
• Government-assisted refugees under the age of 18 can be eligible for the EquiPass.
• Government-assisted refugees over the age of 18 while receiving financial assistance through the Refugee Assistance Program (RAP) are not eligible for the EquiPass as they can purchase an adult monthly pass with the transportation benefit provided through the program. They can apply for the EquiPass discount after a year of their settlement in Canada, when they no longer receive financial assistance through RAP.

You can apply for an EquiPass discount, but only one discount can be put on your Presto card at a time. You will need to determine which discount best meets your transportation needs. Contact OC Transpo for more information at 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280). 

The Low Income Cut-off (LICO) threshold is set annually by the Federal Government of Canada and therefore is subject to change.  The LICO is reviewed every year and typically made public in July. This means that your eligibility for the EquiPass discount may change each year. Family size is based on a person’s marital status and number of dependents. Annual net family income is based on your and your spouse’s (if applicable) 2022 net income (after tax) and has been set at:

Income Eligibility based on 2022 LICO Rates

Your net income is located on line 236 of the Canada Revenue Agency’s Notice of Assessment (NOA) for your 2022 Income Taxes. Both your and your spouse’s income must be added together to compare to the above chart. If you have any dependents and receive the Canada Child Benefit, please provide a copy of this statement with your application. The benefit statement is used to confirm the number of dependents in the family. There are also some exceptions. You could still qualify if:

• You are a refugee newcomer to Canada (copies of landing documents and alternate income documents will be required) and are privately sponsored or an inland claimant or a child under 18 from a family in receipt of the RAP
• You have never filed income taxes before (copies of income documents, such as T4 statements for 2022 or three (3) recent consecutive paystubs will be required)
• You can provide an Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefit stub for the current month
• Other cases that raise additional questions will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If you qualify for an EquiPass based on one of the exceptions, you will only be eligible for the pass for one year, by which time you must file your income taxes. To re-qualify,  the Notice of Assessment is the ONLY document accepted to renew your EquiPass discount. If you have questions about whether you are eligible or what documentation is required, or if you do not fall into one of the above categories but think you still qualify, please contact OC Transpo by e-mail at equipass@ottawa.caor by phone at 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280)

Application forms must be filled out and submitted for processing. You can get an EquiPass application form:

• Online here
• By mail – Call 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280) to request a copy
• In person at various locations across Ottawa:
  • OC Transpo Customer Service Centres (Rideau Centre)
  • City of Ottawa Client Service Centres (City Hall, Orléans, Nepean, Kanata)
  • City of Ottawa Community and Social Support Centres.

While you can pick-up an application in many places, drop-off locations are limited to ensure your information is protected. You can return your application at one of the following locations:

• By fax at:
  • 613-746-7648
    Attn: EquiPass Applications
• By mail to:
  • OC Transpo
    Attn: EquiPass Applications
    925 Belfast Road
    Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z4
• In person:
  • OC Transpo Customer Service Centre
    • Rideau Centre – 3rd Floor
  • City of Ottawa Client Service Centres:
    • City Hall / Laurier (110 Laurier Avenue West)
    • Ben Franklin Place / Nepean (101 Centrepointe Drive)
    • Kanata (580 Terry Fox Road)
    • Orléans (255 Centrum Blvd.)

The following must be included for all members of the household listed on the application form (provide copies only - no documents will be returned):

Family or Single Applicants:

• Your 2022 or 2023 Notice of Assessment (NOA) from Canada Revenue Agency.
• Parents or guardians with dependents 17 years and under must also provide the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) or Ontario Child Benefit (OCB) statement. This will not be added to your income, but will be used to confirm the number of dependents.

Applicants who have never filed income tax:

If you have never filed an Income Tax return, please include:

• A copy of your three (3) recent consecutive paystubs for any and all job(s) held in the last 12 months and / or any 2022 or 2023 annual Income Slips (e.g. T4, T4A, or other).

Note: The EquiPass discount in this circumstance is set for one year. To renew your EquiPass after the first year, you must provide a Notice of Assessment (NOA) after filing your income taxes the following year. 

Refugees or Newcomers

If you are recent refugee/newcomer to Canada, but have not filed a tax return:

• A copy of your Record of Landing (Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) form IMM 1000) and Sponsorship agreements or payments, including Refugee Assistance Program cheque stubs, if applicable
• If currently employed, a copy of your three (3) recent consecutive paystubs for any and all job(s) currently held, and / or any annual Income Slips (e.g. T4, T4A) you may have received to date

Note: The EquiPass discount in this circumstance is set for one year. To renew your EquiPass after the first year, you must provide a Notice of Assessment (NOA) after filing your income taxes the following year. 

Applicants not covered above

If you are unable to provide the documentation above, please contact OC Transpo at equipass@ottawa.ca or 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280) for more information. Applicants are responsible for making copies of documents needed for this application and any associated costs. Documents will not be returned. 

EquiPass applications will be processed by OC Transpo, in collaboration with Community and Social Services.

Current processing time is a minimum of 30 business days (6 weeks).

• OC Transpo will ensure that all customers who qualify receive their discount based on the date the application is approved.
• If you haven’t heard from us within 30 business days of applying for the EquiPass discount, you can check on the status of your application by emailing OC Transpo at: equipass@ottawa.ca, or calling us at 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280).

If you are applying for the Presto discount for the first time, a new Presto card with the EquiPass discount will be sent to you at no charge and you will be required to register the Presto card online within 30 days of receipt at prestocard.ca

If you are renewing your EquiPass discount, please provide the Presto card number registered in your name, and the EquiPass discount will be set up for you remotely. 

You must query or use your Presto card within 30 days of being notified that the discount is being loaded.  You can query you card at various locations, including an OC Transpo Ticket Machine, at a Shoppers Drug Mart / Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore, at an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre or select City of Ottawa Client Service Centres, or you can tap your card to pay a fare on any OC Transpo bus or O-Train.

If your application was not approved, you will be mailed a letter with a reason why. Possible reasons include, but are not limited to:

• Application incomplete, or not signed by all family members 18 and older.
• Missing required documents.
• Not eligible based on your income.
• You already receive transportation benefits from another government source.
• You qualify for the Community, Access or Senior’s Pass.

All copies of personal financial documents are destroyed once the application process is complete.  Paper applications forms will be retained and stored in a secure manner. If an application is incomplete, personal financial documents will be retained for up to 2 months in a secure location, in case the applicant provides follow up information.

No. The EquiPass discount must be set on a Presto card. To benefit from the EquiPass single ride fare of $1.75, you must load money on your e-purse.

Yes. The EquiPass is a discounted transit pass or single-ride fare, therefore it is not transferable. Only the person who was approved can use it. OC Transpo will verify that it is registered to your name and your current address.

After your EquiPass discount is set on your Presto card for the first time, to avoid lineups and wait times in following months, we encourage you to load your Presto card online if possible. You can also set up an AutoRenew contract, which means your monthly pass will load automatically around the 20th of each month.

If you are using the single-ride option, you can set up an AutoLoad contract that will load funds to your e-purse in the amount you choose.  For more information on AutoRenew and AutoLoad contracts, please visit prestocard.ca. Please note that AutoRenew and AutoLoad contracts will automatically cancel if the EquiPass discount expires. If you cannot load your monthly pass or e-purse online, you can do so at the following locations:

• At one of our Ticket Machines
• Shoppers Drug Mart / Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore.
• Download the official PRESTO app (Android, Apple) for a simple, easy way to manage and instantly load your card on the go.
• OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (Rideau Centre)
  • Please visit our website or call our customer service centre to confirm hours of operations for locations above.
• Select City of Ottawa Client Service Centres (including City Hall, Ben Franklin and Kanata / Terry Fox).

For most people, the EquiPass discount will be set on your Presto card for a period between 21 and 27 months.  It will depend on when you receive it.

If you qualify under one of the exemptions listed in question 8 above (How do you know if you qualify?), your EquiPass discount will expire after 1 year as you will be required to file your Income Taxes and re-apply. The Notice of Assessment is the ONLY document accepted to renew your EquiPass discount.

No. You are responsible for checking the expiry date and re-applying.

The EquiPass monthly pass option will no longer be available for purchase on your card and your e-purse will revert to charging an adult fare of $3.80 per ride.  You can also check on a Ticket Machine, online at prestocard.ca or ask at the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre.

We will be tracking cards issued to prevent fraudulent use of the discount.  Please note that if a duplicate card is found, all Presto cards except one will be cancelled.  Duplicate purchases may make you ineligible for the EquiPass discount. 

In addition, non-personal information will be collected for program statistics and to support the general program reporting.

Lastly, we will update personal information for the programs involved, such as address or income with other involved programs including the EquiPass, Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Programs.

The process is the same as replacing any registered Presto card. 

If your card is lost / damaged / defective, ensure that you “hotlist” (i.e. block) the card immediately, by going into your online account at prestocard.ca, calling Presto or by visiting an OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (ID will be verified).  If you aren’t sure if your card is damaged or defective, take it to one of our OC Transpo Customer Service Centres, and they will verify it. Once the card has been hotlisted, you will need to obtain a new, unregistered Presto card at

• One of our Ticket Machines
• Shoppers Drug Mart / Loblaws / Real Canadian Superstore.
• OC Transpo Customer Service Centre (Rideau Centre)
  • Please visit our website or call our customer service centre to confirm hours of operations for locations above.
• Select City of Ottawa Client Service Centres (including City Hall, Ben Franklin and Kanata / Terry Fox).

DO NOT register the new card, and DO NOT load a monthly pass on the new card.

Once you have your new card, you transfer your data to the new Presto card immediately.  This generally takes between 12 to 24 hours.  For lost or damaged cards, you are responsible for the cost of travel during that period.

No.  You cannot opt out of your U-Pass in favour of the EquiPass Program.  The U-Pass is less expensive than the EquiPass discount.  You can apply for the EquiPass discount for months when you don’t have a U-Pass, e.g. in the summer months, if not going to school full time. 

It is possible that some people have just entered the workforce, and never had to submit Income Taxes.  In this case, please ensure we get all your Income Tax slips for the previous year – including, but not limited to, T4 and T4A statements, if you were working.  If you were not working the previous year, please provide your three (3) recent consecutive paystubs for each job that you currently hold.  We will review and advise you if more information is required.

Yes, you can apply. Please contact OC Transpo at 613-560-5000 (TTY 613-741-5280) to discuss your situation and eligibility. Note that your application may take additional time to process without a Notice of Assessment (NOA).

As of January 2024, we are using the 2022 LICO chart to compare to your annual income from your NOA. We will be accepting the 2022 or 2023 NOA for 2024.

Contact Canada Revenue Agency to get a copy.  For more information, see Canada Revenue Agency.

If fare inspection occurs, provide your Presto card.  In order to confirm your eligibility, you may be required to provide photo identification.

Yes. You can travel on STO with your EquiPass monthly pass as it is subject to the same rules and regulations as any OC Transpo monthly pass. However, if you start your travels on an STO bus, the single-ride option (e-purse) is not available. Please note, if you started your travels on an OC Transpo bus and are transferring to an STO bus, your transfer is valid. You must be a resident of the City of Ottawa to be eligible for the EquiPass – residents of Quebec must hold an STO monthly pass. 

No. You must obtain and use an STO fare card.  Learn more about their discounted low-income program called Equity Community Choice Mobility (ECHO).

No. The EquiPass discount is only available to residents of the City of Ottawa. 

Applicants will receive a letter by mail informing them if they are eligible for the EquiPass Program. If an application is denied, the letter will tell the applicant the reason(s) for their ineligibility.  If applicants have questions about this decision, they can contact OC Transpo by mail at OC Transpo, Attn: EquiPass Applications, 925 Belfast Road, Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z4, or by email at equipass@ottawa.ca