Transit riders across large parts of the Greater Toronto Area can use debit cards to pay their fare starting today, as the Ontario government looks to expand the payment option to Toronto in the coming months.

The Ontario government says the PRESTO system now accepts debit card taps on GO Transit, along with several municipal transit agencies, including in Hamilton, Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington, Oakville, York Region and Durham Region.

The government says since it launched credit payment options in August 2022, PRESTO has reported a million card taps.

The province says it’s working with the Toronto Transit Commission to introduce both credit and debit payment options this summer.

Paratransit riders in Burlington, Durham Region, Hamilton, York Region, Oakville and Ottawa can also now use both credit and debit payment.

The government says PRESTO has about 4.7 million active users.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2023.