Transit Commission

Minutes

Meeting #:

09

Date:

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 5:30 P.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 David Hill, 
• Councillor Jeff Leiper, 
• Councillor Wilson Lo, 
• Councillor Shawn Menard, 
• and Councillor Tim Tierney 

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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 hybrid 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 Wednesday, November 22, 2023, in Transit Commission Report 9.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Friday, November 10, 2023, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

TTC Minutes 8 – October 12, 2023

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

TC-2023-05 – Dedicated service for secondary schools

5.

Presentations

5.1

OC Transpo Update – Rail, Bus, and Para Transpo

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department, Paul Treboutat, Chief Safety Officer, Troy Charter, Director, Transit Service Delivery and Rail Operations, and Olivia McGuinty, Program Manager, Transit Employee Management Support, 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.

Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, and Richard Holder, Director, Engineering Services, also answered questions from Commission.

Commission received a letter from Christine Guptill dated November 10, and a copy is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

Patrick Shepherd spoke before the Commission and provided comments.

6.

Transit Services Department

6.1

OC Transpo Bus Route Review

File No. ACS2023-TSD-TCSP-0023 – City-wide

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department (TSD). Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, and Amanda Thompson, Program Manager, Transit Communications and Outreach, 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.

Commissioners received the following submissions, and a copy of each is filed with the Office of the City Clerk:

• Naomi Badour email dated November 6
• Rohan Thukral email dated November 8
• Catherine McDonald email dated November 8
• Meaghan Charlebois email dated November 8
• Bernard Murdock email dated November 10
• Laura Shantz email dated November 10
• Sally Thomas email dated November 10
• Sarah Kirkwood email dated November 13
• Jennifer Peddle email dated November 13
• Lyne Grimes email dated November 13
• Kate Twiss (Crystal Beach Lakeview Community Association) letter dated November 13
• Helen Daniels email dated November 14

Commissioners received the following submissions which related to both item 6.1 (OC Transpo Bus Route Review) and item 7.1 (2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budget – Transit Commission). A copy of each is filed with the Office of the City Clerk:

• Marilyn O'Keeffe email dated November 13
• Kate Abbott email dated November 13
• Naomi Hart email dated November 13

The following members of the public spoke before the Commission on this item:

• Nick Grover (Free Transit Ottawa)
• Sarah Donnelly
• Naomi Badour
• Aaron Stevens (slide and speaking notes on file)
• Brent Manuel
• Joan Kuyek (Seniors for Climate Action Now Ottawa, slides on file)
• Sarah Hogan
• Catherine McDonald
• KB Harwood
• Bernard Murdock
• Alayne McGregor
• Anne Biason-Hart
• Patrick Shepherd
• Sam Hersh
• Chris Wrinn
• Ethan Sabourin
• William van Geest

After discussions, Commission considered the following recommendation:

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Transit Commission receive this report for information.

  Received

7.

Finance and Corporate Services Department

7.1

2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budget – Transit Commission

File No. ACS2023-FCS-FSP-0016 – City-wide 

The draft budget was tabled at the Council meeting of November 8, 2023. The Transit Commission’s report on the draft budget will be considered by Council at its meeting of December 6, 2023.

At the outset of the meeting, Commission carried Motion No. TTC 2023-09-01 (below) to add the budget documents to the agenda.

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department (TSD), and Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, presented an overview of the draft 2024 budget and answered questions from the Commission.  A copy of the slide presentation is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

The following staff also answered questions from Commission:

• Finance and Corporate Services Department (FCSD): Cyril Rogers, General Manager, FCSD and Chief Financial Officer, and Isabelle Jasmin, Deputy City Treasurer, Corporate Finance
• Office of the City Clerk: Caitlin Salter MacDonald, Manager, Council and Committee Services

Commissioners received a letter dated November 8 from Robert Brinker (Federation of Citizens Associations), and a copy is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

Commissioners received the following submissions which related to both item 6.1 (OC Transpo Bus Route Review) and item 7.1 (2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budget – Transit Commission). A copy of each is filed with the Office of the City Clerk:

• Marilyn O'Keeffe email dated November 13
• Kate Abbott email dated November 13
• Naomi Hart email dated November 13

The following members of the public spoke before the Commission on this item:

• Rory Lewis (Ottawa Transit Riders)
• Alex Cullen (Federation of Citizens Associations)
• Alayne McGregor
• Patrick Shepherd
• Mike Wright

After discussion, Commission considered Motions No. TTC 2023-09-02 to -04, as follows:

• Recommendation 

  That the Transit Commission consider the relevant portions of the 2024 Operating and Capital Budgets and make recommendations to Council sitting in Committee of the Whole to be held December 6, 2023.
• Motion No. TTC 2023-09-01
  Moved by R. Brockington

  WHEREAS the 2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budget documents for the Transit Commission were circulated and published after being tabled at Council on November 8, 2023, which was after the Transit Commission agenda publication date; 

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, pursuant to Subsection 89(3) of the Procedure By-law, the Transit Commission add the budget documents to the Agenda.

  Carried
• Motion No. TTC 2023-09-02
  Moved by S. Menard

  WHEREAS a fare freeze would generate approximately 300,000 resident trips on average in 2024 and create new long-term ridership; and,

  WHEREAS creating long term ridership has positive impacts for the service and will reduce traffic congestion, saving the city operational funds; and, 

  WHEREAS OC Transpo ridership levels have been stagnant or in decline for several years outside of COVID-19 lockdowns; and, 

  WHEREAS OC Transpo is proposing a reduction in bus service hours; and, 

  WHEREAS LRT continues to operate at a reduced capacity; and, 

  WHEREAS Ottawa transit riders should not continue to face fare hikes in the context of reduced and inadequate transit service; and,

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Transit Commission recommends Council freeze transit fares in the 2024 budget through a 1% increase to the transit levy.
• Amendment:
  Motion No. TTC 2023-09-03
  Moved by R. Brockington

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Menard motion be referred to the City Council meeting of December 6, 2023.

  Carried

  Councillor Leiper dissenting.

  
  
• Motion No. TTC 2023-09-04
  Moved by R. Brockington

  BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Transit Commission recommend that Council, sitting as Committee of the Whole, approve the Transit Commission 2024 Draft Operating and Capital Budgets, as follows:

  1. Transit Services as follows:
     
     1. User fees (pages 7-8);
     2. Operating Resource Requirement (page 6); 
  2. Transit Commission Capital Budget (page 9, individual projects listed on pages 16-36).

  For (7)	G. Gower, T. Tierney, R. Brockington, C. Curry, D. Hill, M. Carr, and W. Lo
  Against (2)	J. Leiper, and S. Menard

  Carried (7 to 2)

7.2

Delegation of Authority – Contracts awarded for the period January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023 for Transit Commission

File No. ACS2023-FCS-PRO-0005 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Transit Commission and Council receive this report for information.

  Received

8.

Office of the City Clerk

8.1

Status Update – Transit Commission Inquiries and Motions for the period ending November 2, 2023

File No. ACS2023-OCC-CCS-0151 – City-wide

• Report Recommendation(s)

  That the Transit Commission receive this report for information.

  Received

9.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

10.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

11.

Inquiries

There were no Inquiries.

12.

Other Business

There was no other business.

13.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: Thursday, December 14, 2023.

The meeting adjourned at 4:11 pm.