The City of Winnipeg’s 2018 draft budget has some transit users concerned over increased bus fares.

READ MORE: Transit routes reduced, parking costs increased: City budget

Bus riders will pay 25 cents more, taking a cash fare bus trip from $2.70 to $2.95.

For Brian Lahner, taking the bus is a way of life: he rides the 47 from Transcona to downtown most days of the week.

“It’s partly to do with the environment, also we just have one vehicle. So I really depend on this,” said Lahner.

Lahner alternates between buying monthly passes and five-day passes, and was upset to hear about the hikes that will see his monthly pass go from $90.50 to $100.10.

But while Lahner said he would have to make the proper adjustments to his budget, the Winnipeg man was concerned about others who might not be as fortunate.

“I know a lot of people that depend on this, that are like no-vehicle families,” said Lahner.

The Amalgamated Transit Union is also concerned about how the hikes could affect the city’s most vulnerable, according to acting president Aleem Chaudhary.

“Unfortunately it’s the working poor that are going to suffer,” said Chaudhary.

And with the city proposing reduced service on 23 routes, Chaudhary said rider experience will also suffer.

“We don’t have enough buses out there as it is. There’s people waiting for a long time, especially come winter time when there’s bad weather out there,” said Chaudhary.

“There are long waits, and there are going to be longer and longer waits now.”

The city said the fare hikes and route changes are needed to compensate for a $10 million deficit, most of which it attributes to the province ending a 50/50 transit funding agreement.

When asked if the province would consider reinstating the 50/50 funding, Manitoba Minister of Municipal Relations Jeff Wharton said it would be “premature” for the Pallister government to go forward with its estimate process and talk about what it was going to do 2018-on.

“The City of Winnipeg has some of the most generous operating funding, as a matter of fact unconditional operating funding of any other major city in Canada,” said Wharton.

“Certainly the mayor and council have every opportunity to direct funding to their needs.”