Staff Report #6
January 27, 2021
To All Commissioners
Re: Intercommunity Transit Update
Recommendation
The report be NOTED and FILED
Background
The Ministry of Transportation implemented the Ontario Community Transportation Grant Program in mid-2018 to help 39 Ontario communities across the Province improve transportation services within and between communities to make it easier for people to get around. Through the grant program, the Province is providing municipalities with $30 million over five years to support local transit and intercommunity bus services in areas that are currently unserved or underserved by public transit.
The program makes it more convenient for Ontarians, including seniors, students, youth, persons with disabilities and others to access essential services in their communities, connect with other transportation services and travel between cities and towns.
Locally, the Southwest Community Transit (SCT) association was established as an organizational body to oversee intercommunity transit in the region. The association is made up of member municipalities and non-profit organizations in Southwest Ontario.
Originally, intercommunity transit services into London to connect surrounding communities was scheduled to commence in April 2020; however, due to the pandemic declaration in March 2020, the implementation was postponed.
London Transit has worked with the surrounding communities to help create schedules and determine stop locations within the City that will provide good transfer options for customers and will not result in conflict at LTC stops. As set out in the table below, to date there are five regions that now have transit services that are connecting with London.
Intercommunity Transit Services Surrounding London
| Municipality | Start Date | Days of Operation | Daily round trips | Municipalities Served on the Route | Stop Locations in London |
| Huron Shores | Dec 14, 2020 | Mon – Sun | 2 | Grand Bend, Dashwood, Exeter, Huron Park & Lucan | Fanshawe at North Centre westbound |
| Middlesex County Connect | Aug 4, 2020 | Mon – Fri | 2 | Route 1– Woodstock, Ingersoll, Thamesford & Thorndale
Route 2– Dorchester to London |
Route 1– Fanshawe at Richmond eastbound & Fanshawe College
Route 2- Fanshawe College & Clarke at Whitney southbound |
| City of Sarnia, Strathroy-Caradoc | Aug 4, 2020 | Mon – Sun | 3 | Sarnia, Strathroy, Mount Brydges & Komoka | London Airport,
York at Wellington westbound |
| T-Go Tillsonburg | Aug 4, 2020 | Mon & Wed | 2 | Tillsonburg, Ingersoll & Dorchester | Victoria Hospital |
| PC Connect- Perth County | Jan 18, 2021 | Mon – Sat | 4 | St. Mary’s & Stratford | Fanshawe west of North Centre eastbound |
Further updates regarding the Ontario Community Transportation Grant Program will be provided to the Commission as appropriate.
Recommended by:
Katie Burns, Director of Planning
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager