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Orangeville council extends fare-free transit program until 2027

September 26, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

All aboard! At least until summer 2027 when Orangeville will take another look at its fare-free public transit program.

Orangeville’s free public transit program was expected to end this fall. Fare-free transit was formally introduced in January 2023. The tax-payer funded program was a means for the town to assess the viability of free transit in Orangeville.

Town council decided during its Sept. 23 meeting to extend the program until July 2027.

The number of people availing of public transit has more than doubled since fares were dropped to board a bus.

Ridership was tallied at 102,898 people in 2019. It increased to 103,091 the following year and dropped to 91,203 in 2021 before 101,261 people were counted in 2022.

The first full year without bus fares was last year and 225,705 took advantage of the service in 2023. Already in the first half of 2024, there have been 120,879 people who took a bus.

The second half of the year is expected to draw another 141,901 riders for a possible year-end total of 262,780 people.

Mayor Lisa Post said the fare-free program is one of the first things she mentions when she’s promoting Orangeville to people outside the town.

Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor has been an opponent of the program in the past. However, though there are some aspects that still trouble him, he supported the program’s extension.

He said it isn’t a fair assessment to look at what the program costs per rider. The bottom line is that if it costs $100 to run the program then it costs $100 and nevermind the ridership numbers.

“Right now, we don’t know the financials,” Taylor said, and added that he’ll wait until that information is available.

Tony Dulisse, the town’s manager of transportation and development at infrastructure services, said in a report to council that the provincial gas tax is expected to increase as ridership continues to increase.

“This would replace a significant portion of the revenue normally collected through fares,” he said. “Staff noted the gas tax has a lag period of two years before the municipality receives it, meaning realization of the increase should occur in 2025.”

Other key data from the report includes the alignment of the program with the town’s Climate Action Plan, the removal of economic barriers, and the creation of opportunities for partnerships with other agencies and communities.

Taylor said the current council should decide the program’s fate as opposed to putting the decision onto the next group of councillors.

“I’m still skeptical as I sit here today, but I’ll be voting in favour tonight,” Taylor said.

Tim Kocialek, the town’s infrastructure services general manager, said it was recommended that the program continue until July 2027 so as to enable the new council elected in October 2026 to review the fare-free transit program.

Former Orangeville councillor Grant Peters said he believes the municipality should continue offering free transit.

“The social impact is incredible,” he said. “The environmental impact is also very tangible.”

The more people who decide to leave their vehicles in their driveways in favour of riding a bus opens more parking spaces downtown for visitors to Orangeville.

“There’s a big swell of community support for this program,” Peters said. “I think Orangeville is on the map. The province and the country are paying attention.”

Martina Rowley is a member of the Sustainable Orangeville Committee. She said extending the free transit program aligns with the group’s promotion of sustainability, desire to enhance livability, and its drive to improve accessibility in the town.

Greenhouse gas reduction is key to environmental health, she said, and increasing public transit ridership is a big step in that direction.

Rowley said there’s been a marked increase in the number of youth, seniors, and people with accessibility challenges. Those were people who were drawn to use a bus to get to medical appointments, to school, and to grocery stores.

Rowley said extending fare-free transportation is an essential component to Orangeville continuing to be a sustainable and inclusive community.

Aislinn Main is the chairperson of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council. Quite simply, free transit opens the town to young people who don’t yet have a driver’s license, Main shared.

“Some youth that I have spoken to have shared that they wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for our transit system providing them with a free way to get to and from work,” she said.

It has provided a safe and economical means for young people to participate in the community, she said. Youth taking part in public transit will ultimately raise climate consciousness in individuals who may decide to take public transportation over private vehicles in the future.

Among letters to council from people who supported the program was one from Heather Hayes, executive director of the Orangeville Food Bank. Before fare-free bussing, many people didn’t have the money to get to the food bank.

“Having access to transportation enables those with limited means to not only access our services but also other social services and activities of daily living,” Hayes wrote.

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