Paying a fare on Winnipeg Transit with a smart card will come into effect within a year, according to CBC News.

Winnipeg’s finance committee will gather to examine changing of manual fare boxes over to an automatic fare collection system, as the new system is implemented in two phases eventually leading to the smart card. The committee will also consider a universal bus pass plan for university students.

The first phase of the smart card program – which is yet to be named – is set to begin at the end of February. The manual fare boxes will be replaced with the more high-tech system which will have automatic coin counters, on-screen information displays, paper transfer printers and readers and the smart card sensors.

The second phase will come into effect later in the year and will see the full replacement of all the old paper-based fares and flash passes and will include the full integration of electronic fare media.

Read more here.