Transit Commission

Minutes

Meeting #:

4

Date:

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 11:30 A.m.

Location:

Champlain Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, and by electronic participation

Present:

• Chair Glen Gower, 
• Vice-Chair Cathy Curry, 
• Councillor Riley Brockington, 
• Councillor Marty Carr, 
• Councillor Jeff Leiper, 
• Councillor Wilson Lo, 
• Councillor Shawn Menard, 
• and Councillor Tim Tierney 

Absent:

• Councillor David Hill 

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1.

Notices and meeting information for meeting participants and the public

Notices and meeting information are attached to the agenda and minutes, including: availability of simultaneous interpretation and accessibility accommodations; in camera meeting procedures; information items not subject to discussion; personal information disclaimer for correspondents and public speakers; notices regarding minutes; and remote participation details.

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, upon request.

Except where otherwise indicated, reports requiring Council consideration will be presented to Council on April 26, 2023 in Transit Commission Report 4.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on April 12, 2023, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on April 13, 2023.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

TTC Minutes 3 – March 3, 2023

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

TC-2023-01 - Communicating Live Information to Riders

4.2

TC-2023-02 - LRT technical operations inquiry

With the will of Commission, Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department (TSD) and Matt Pieters, Manager, Rail Systems (TSD), answered questions from Committee.

Following discussions, Motion No. TTC 2023-04-01 was withdrawn.

• Motion No. TTC 2023-04-01
  Moved by W. Lo

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT Transit Commission recommend that Council direct that OC Transpo prepare an official written response to Inquiry TC-2023-02 – LRT Technical Operations, pursuant to Section 33(3) of the Rules of Procedure.

  Withdrawn

5.

Presentations

5.1

OC Transpo Update – Rail, Bus, and Para Transpo

The following Transit Services Department (TSD) staff provided an oral update and answered questions from the Commission. A copy of their slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk:

• Renée Amilcar, General Manager, TSD
• Lisa Bishop-Spencer, Director, Strategic Communications and External Relations
• Paul Treboutat, Chief Safety Officer
• Scott Laberge, Associate Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning

Nicholas Truchon, Chief Executive Officer (Rideau Transit Group), Mario Guerra, Mario Guerra, Chief Executive Officer (Rideau Transit Maintenance), and David Rheault, Senior Tunnel Engineer (Dr. Sauer & Partners) also presented on this item and responded to questions from Commission.

Wendy Stephanson, City Manager, and M. Rick O’Connor, City Clerk, responded to questions from Commission.

The following TSD staff also responded to questions:

• Scott Laberge, Associate Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning
• Troy Charter, Director, Transit Service Delivery and Rail Operations
• James Greer, Director, Transit Bus Operations and Maintenance
• Paul Treboutat, Chief Safety Officer

John Redins spoke before the Commission and provided comments on the presentation.

The Chair undertook to review with the Office of the City Clerk the possibility of publishing slides related to the “OC Transpo Update” item prior to future Commission meetings.

6.

Transit Services Department

6.1

Responding to O-Train Line 1 disruptions

File Number: ACS2023-TSD-TS-0002 - City Wide

Troy Charter, Director, Transit Service Delivery and Rail Operations, presented an overview of the report recommendations and answered questions from the Commission. A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department (TSD), also answered questions from Commission.

TSD staff undertook to provide information on whether it is possible to enable controllers to make announcements on trains.

Commissioners received a letter from Mr. Jan Lam dated April 13, enclosing a letter dated September 20, 2021. A copy of each is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

• Report Recommendation

  That the Transit Commission receive this report for information.

  Received

7.

City Manager’s Office

7.1

Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer Annual Report for 2022

File Number: ACS2023-OCC-GEN-0001 - City Wide

M. Rick O’Connor, City Clerk, introduced Sam Berrada, Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer and provided an overview of his role.

Mr. Berrada presented an overview of the report recommendations and answered questions from the Commission. A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

• Report Recommendation

  That the Transit Commission recommend Council receive the Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer Annual Report, attached as Document 1.

  Carried

7.2

Light Rail Regulatory Monitor Compliance Officer Contract

File Number: ACS2023-CMR-OCM-0004 - City Wide

David White, City Solicitor, was in attendance and answered questions from Commission on the report. Following brief discussions, the Commission voted on the report recommendations.

• Report Recommendations

  1. That the Transit Commission recommend to Council that the contract for the Light Rail Regulatory Monitor and Compliance Officer for Confederation Line be renewed for a further five-year term on terms and conditions as set out in this report and delegate the authority to the Interim City Manager to execute the contract renewal on behalf of the City; and
  2. That the Transit Commission recommend that Council direct the Interim City Manager to bring a further report to the Transit Commission and
     Council to recommend any changes to the existing Confederation Line Light Rail System Regulatory Framework in Q3 2023.

  For (7)

  G. Gower, J. Leiper, R. Brockington, S. Menard, C. Curry, M. Carr, and W. Lo

  Carried (7 to 0)

8.

Office of the City Clerk

8.1

Status Update – Transit Commission Inquiries and Motions for the period ending March 30

File Number: ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0045 - City Wide

• Report Recommendation

  That the Transit Commission receive this report for information.

  Received

9.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

10.

Motions of Which Notice has been Previously Given

10.1

Motion – Subscription Model for Hybrid Workers

File Number: ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0046 - City Wide

Councillor M. Carr introduced the motion on behalf of Councillor D. Hill.

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department, answered questions from Commission. After brief discussions, Commission considered the motion.

• Motion

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Transit Commission direct staff to develop, and report back to Transit Commission and Council on, a new monthly renewable fare model targeted to hybrid workers.

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the new subscription model be designed to provide hybrid workers with similar incentives as they received when using the Monthly Pass to commute to work five days a week.  

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT an appropriate marketing plan that addresses the cost of private vehicle parking, the significant increase in highway traffic year-over-year, and the benefits of the new hybrid pass by developed for launch in concert with the new subscription model.  

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT staff provide to the Transit Commission a report by Q3 2023 outlining their progress on the development of the new subscription model or models with a goal of implementation no later than Q4 2023. 

  Carried

11.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

12.

Inquiries

12.1

TC-2023-03 – Urban-rural Para Transpo Service

Submitted by Councillor W. Lo:

Para Transpo is a lifeline for vulnerable residents, many of whom receive financial assistance from the government, connecting those unable to drive or use conventional transit with care services, employment, and family and friends.

Currently, Para Transpo charges a flat rate of 10$ for one-way trips, 20$ for round trips crossing the urban-rural transit boundary. Trips wholly within the urban transit area (UTA) are 3.75$ per ride, monthly pass notwithstanding.

Given the sheer potential distance of some trips, required deadheading, and taxation differences between the UTA and rural area, it is understandable trips crossing the urban-rural boundary would be charged a higher fare.

Continuous suburban growth since amalgamation has brought some rural communities closer geographically and socially. That newfound geographic and social proximity means more residents are seeking services, employment, and social appointments in each other’s communities, including Para Transpo customers.

However, it has created some inequities for shorter trips crossing the urban-rural boundary. For example, to get to a family doctor in Barrhaven, a Para Transpo customer in Manotick, about seven kilometres away, would pay 20$ for the round trip, while a customer from Greenboro, about 17 kilometres away, or—for a more extreme example—from Orleans, about 37 kilometres away, would pay 7.50$ for their round trip.

This inquiry is the reincarnation of a motion I withdrew at a previous meeting, because it was admittedly too targeted to the Barrhaven-Manotick boundary. I expanded its scope to include the whole city in response to feedback from colleagues following a brief discussion.

1. How many Para Transpo trips were taken between the rural villages (as defined in the Official Plan) and the UTA in 2022?
2. Of all the trips taken between the rural villages and the UTA in 2022, what percentage of these trips were to/from the villages of Carp, Cumberland, Fallowfield, Greely, Manotick, Navan, Notre-Dame-des-Champs, and Richmond?
3. What was the average distance of Para Transpo trips to/from the villages mentioned in question two in 2022?
   
   1. If available, what was the average deadhead requirement for those trips?
4. What was the average distance of Para Transpo trips within the UTA in 2022?
   
   1. If available, what was the average deadhead requirement for those trips?
5. Of the trips taken in 2022 to/from the villages mentioned in question two, what percentage of those trips started/ended in the nearest UTA community?
   
   1. Carp—Kanata/Stittsville (wards 4, 6, 23)
   2. Cumberland—Orleans (wards 1, 2, 19)
   3. Fallowfield—Kanata/Stittsville (wards 4, 6, 23) or Barrhaven (wards 3, 24)
   4. Greely—Barrhaven/Riverside South (wards 3, 22, 24) or Findlay Creek (Ward 22)
   5. Manotick—Barrhaven/Riverside South (wards 3, 22, 24)
   6. Navan—Orleans (wards 1, 2, 19)
   7. Notre-Dame-des-Champs—Orleans (wards 1, 2, 19)
   8. Richmond—Kanata/Stittsville (wards 6, 23) or Barrhaven (wards 3, 24)
6. What percentage of Para Transpo trips mentioned in question five were shorter by trip distance than the longest 50 per cent of trips wholly within the urban transit area?
7. What are the implications of either introducing special fare zones or charging the UTA fare for trips mentioned in question five?

13.

Other Business

There was no other business.

14.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: May 11, 2023

The meeting adjourned at 1:42 pm.