Transit Commission

Minutes

Meeting #:

10

Date:

Thursday, February 08, 2024

Time:

9:30 A.m. - 2:30 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 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 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, February 21, 2024, in Transit Commission Report 10.

The deadline to register by phone to speak, or submit written comments or visual presentations is 4 pm on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, and the deadline to register to speak by email is 8:30 am on Thursday, February 8, 2024.

2.

Declarations of Interest

No Declarations of Interest were filed.

3.

Confirmation of Minutes

3.1

TTC Minutes 9 – Tuesday, November 14, 2023

• Carried

3.2

TTC-LRSC Minutes 1 – Thursday, December 14, 2023

• Carried

4.

Responses to Inquiries

4.1

OCC-2023-09 – Park and rides

With the will of Commission, this matter was briefly discussed. Pat 
Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, answered 
questions.

5.

Presentations

5.1

Presentation from the International Association of Public Transport

Renée Amilcar, General Manager, Transit Services Department (TSD), 
and Mohamed Mezghani (Secretary General, UITP) provided a 
presentation and answered questions. A copy of their slide presentation is 
filed with the Office of the City Clerk. 

5.2

OC Transpo Update – Rail, Bus, and Para Transpo

The following staff 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)
• Olivia McGuinty, Manager, Business Support Services
• Paul Treboutat, Chief Safety Officer
• Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning
• Joel Lemieux, Manager, Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC)
• Rami El Feghali, Associate Director, Transit Bus Operations and Maintenance
• Ken Gordon, Manager, Transit Training and Development
• Richard Holder, Director, Engineering Services
• Susan Johns, Director, Asset Management Services, Infrastructure and Water Services Department

Troy Charter, Director, Transit Service Delivery and Rail Operations, was also in attendance and answered questions.

Commission received an email from Sally Thomas (ParaParity) dated February 7, and a copy is filed with the Office of the City Clerk.

The following members of the public spoke before the Commission and provided comments on the presentation:

• Kenney Vandelinde
• Sally Thomas (ParaParity) – a copy of her slides are on file with the City Clerk
• Danica Coote

6.

Finance and Corporate Services Department

6.1

Capital Adjustments – Transit Commission

File No. ACS2024-FCS-FSP-0002 – City-wide

Isabelle Jasmin, Deputy City Treasurer, Corporate Finance (Finance and 
Corporate Services Department), and Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit 
Customer Systems and Planning (Transit Services Department), 
answered questions from Commission. 

There were no public submissions on this item. 

After discussion, Commission considered the motions as follows: 

• Motion No. TTC 2024-10-01
  Moved by R. Brockington

  WHEREAS additional capital adjustments were identified after the agenda was released on January 30, 2024, which require changes to the Report and supporting Document 1; 

  WHEREAS these capital adjustments have a net zero impact on the overall financials noted in the report but require Council approval;

  WHEREAS the revised Report and Document 1 were distributed to Council and published on the City’s agendas and minutes web portal on February 7, 2024;

  THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Transit Commission amend the section entitled “Recommendation 1 - Budget Adjustments Requiring Council Approval” of the Report as follows:

  Document 1 presents the budget adjustments requiring Council approval.

  The overall impact of the departmental budget adjustments is a net decrease of $27.731 million in the previously approved net budget authority for the projects listed in Document 1. This resulted in capital funding decreases from Transit Capital reserves of $21.474 million and $6.635 million of transit debt plus funding increases of $378,000 for development charges. Included is a transfer of capital authority in support of 2024 costs to recruit, train and onboard additional operating staff to maintain service reliability, open O-Train Lines 2 and 4 in 2024 and be ready to test and open the eastern extension of O-Train Line 1 in 2025. The reduction in capital accounts from which the transfers would be made will not have an effect on transit service quality. The return of funds to reserves will provide funding and mitigation, to help offset any 2023 shortfall.

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Transit Commission amend the report’s supporting Document 1 by adding an additional row, attached to this motion and on file with the City Clerk, to the bottom of the table on page 1.

  Carried
• Report Recommendation(s) as amended

  That the Transit Commission recommend that Council:

  1. Approve the budget adjustments as detailed in Document 1, as 
     amended;
  2. Approve the closing of the capital project identified in 
     Document 2;
  3. Return to source or (fund) the following balances and 
     eliminate debt authority from the budget adjustments and 
     capital account closure:
     • Transit Capital Supported Reserve: $20,232,778
     • Development Charges: ($378,000)
     • Debt Authority: $6,635,000
  4. Authorize staff to perform the necessary financial adjustments 
     as detailed in Documents 1 (as amended) and 2.
  Carried as amended

7.

Transit Services Department

7.1

Focused Fare Compliance Initiative

File No. ACS2024-TSD-SRTD-0001 – City-wide

Paul Treboutat, Chief Safety Officer, and Tracey McRae, Chief Special 
Constable, 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, and Pat 
Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, were also 
in attendance and answered questions. 

The following members of the public spoke before the Commission and 
provided comments on the presentation:

• Nick Grover 
• Martin Spielauer 
• Shana Quesnel

Following discussions, the Commission considered the report 
recommendation as follows.

• Report recommendation(s)

  That Transit Commission receive this report for information.

  Received

8.

In Camera Items

There were no in camera items.

9.

Notices of Motions (For Consideration at Subsequent Meeting)

There were no Notices of Motion.

10.

Inquiries

10.1

TC-2023-06 – Snow clearing at Para Transpo stops

Submitted by Vice-Chair C. Curry on behalf of Councillor S. Plante:

With respect to snow clearing operations at Para Transpo stops, can staff please provide the following information:

1. How many posted Para Transpo stops are there, and where are they? (List of locations, or on a map, would be helpful).
2. Where is this information available to the public?
3. What is the policy/documented operational practice for snow clearing at posted Para Transpo stops? (is the stated policy that they do not clear the stops? Where is that written? Who’s policy is it?)
4. What is the policy/documented operational practice for clearing regular bus stops? (For comparison)
5. What is the rationale for the policies in questions 2 and 3 (such as why are they cleared, or why are they not cleared).
6. How are the different posted Para Transpo stops treated differently (such as if it's on private property, city property, CCOC, or other property.)

11.

Other Business

There was no other business.

12.

Adjournment

Next Meeting: Monday, March 18, 2024.

The meeting adjourned at 2:13 pm.