The Ford government is retooling a Remembrance Day policy that would allow Canadian veterans and serving members of the armed forces to ride for free on Go Trains, Global News has learned, after reservists raised concerns about being left out of the measure.
The province announced, on Wednesday, that roughly 150,000 active duty and retired members of the Canadian Armed Forces in Ontario would be allowed to ride GO Transit for free, as of March 2025. The government also said it eventually plans to expand the “transit relief program” to include the UP Express.
Shortly after unveiling the policy, however, the Premier’s Office, Metrolinx and Ministry of Transportation began receiving emotional emails from members of the CAF Reserve Force asking why they had been excluded from the cost-saving measure.
One email, sent from an “angry reservist,” questioned why the Ford government had overlooked reservists who stepped into the province’s long-term care homes during COVID-19 to help care for isolated elderly residents and reservists who served in combat zones.
“Did you know that the casket of a reservist army member and a regular force army member weigh the same? I do,” an unnamed reservist said in the email addressed to the Premier and Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster.
“I’ve carried the flag draped casket of a colleague. Yet I’m not qualified to ride for free on the GO and neither would my comrade be that I was carrying,” the email said.
Liberal MPP Karen McCrimmon, a retired 31-year CAF Lieutenant Colonel who once served enlisted as a reservist, expressed disappointment that the government “would choose to exclude” reservists from the policy.
“Somewhere around 10 to 15 per cent of all major deployments were done by reservists,” McCrimmon said. “We have counted on them to step up when we needed them and they’ve always stepped up.”
The Canadian Armed Forces maintains a naval, army and air force Primary Reserve force of roughly 22,000, about half of whom reside in Ontario.
In addition to international operations, reservists are typically called up to assist in search and rescue operations as well as recovery operations from natural disasters such as floods, wildfires, and ice storms.
“In the military, veterans are veterans are veterans,” McCrimmon said.
Shortly after Global News informed McCrimmon of the concern raised by reservists, the Liberal MPP tabled a motion in the legislature to expand the benefit to a “vital part of our nation’s defence.”
“That in the opinion of this house, Metrolinx must ensure that active members of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve are not excluded from the program for veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces to receive free fares on GO Transit and the UP Express,” the motion read.
After the government was informed of the motion, Global News was told the policy was quickly being revised to account for army reservists.
“All uniform members of our Canadian Armed Forces who serve our country, deserve our respect and gratitude and will be included in this initiative,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a statement.
Metrolinx says PRESTO cards owned by members of the Canadian Armed Forces – veterans, active duty members and reservists – will be enabled with free fares in the new year, with UP Express to follow.