Debating Budget 2025

The city is discussing its upcoming budget, where serious decisions about transit will be made. Last year’s budget had unreasonably optimistic guesses for ridership. Here’s hoping that the city will be more practical this time around.

A recent article asked who will pay for transit – transit riders OR taxpayers? Let’s remember that transit riders ARE taxpayers in this city. 

Transit deficit the elephant in the room as Ottawa prepares for draft budget

Community groups, including the Ottawa Transit Riders have released an alternative budget to offer better ideas to city council.

Community groups release alternative budget ahead of 2025 City of Ottawa budget debate

Please contact your city councillor to tell them that you want support for public transit. No-one benefits from increased traffic and unreliable buses.

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Participate in McGill study

An interdisciplinary research group TRAM (Transportation Research at McGill) is currently undertaking research aimed at understanding how people in Canada experience transport in their regions and what their public-transit needs are.

Ottawa-Gatineau is one of their study areas so consider taking a moment to complete the survey.

TRAM: Transportation Research at McGill

 

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We're on Bluesky

A quick reminder that Ottawa Transit Riders is no longer using Twitter / X – we’ve switched to Bluesky. Come join us – it’s a fun, friendly platform.

@otttransitriders.bsky.social

We’re also on Facebook at Ottawa Transit Riders | Facebook and Instagram at Ottawa Transit Riders (@ottawa_transit_riders) • Instagram photos and videos

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update on Trillium Line

The new Trillium line – the diesel train that will run from Bayview to the airport recently passed the first set of tests with flying colours.

Trillium rail line passes crucial test and could be weeks from opening Trillium rail line passes crucial test and could be weeks from opening | CBC News

Trillium Line passes trial run with 99.5 per cent score, Amilcar announces 'with humility and great joy' Trillium Line passes 14-day trial running | Ottawa Citizen

A second seven-day phase of trials began Monday afternoon, when the operator will practise 15 different situations such as what to do if there is a stalled train, a delay caused by problems opening or closing doors, or how to operate when the line is reduced to a single track.

Before the line opens for full passenger service, the city will also run two mock emergencies to help first responders prepare for the LRT, one at the Ottawa airport and one in the tunnel under Dow’s Lake.

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"Transit for Tomorrow" Summit Oct 28th

Environmental Defence is hosting a summit in Ottawa on October 28th. Sally Thomas, a board member of Ottawa Transit Riders will speak about accessibility and public transit. For tickets, visit this link: Tickets to Summit Environmental Defence Canada

The summit welcomes all public transit advocates and allies, rider advocacy groups, transit riders and enthusiasts, environmentalists, federal, provincial, and municipal officials, mayors and city councillors, public transit agencies, associations, unions, the business community and other groups interested in better public transit and sustainable, equitable cities.

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Results from Transit Forum in Barrhaven

On Tuesday, September 17, the Ottawa Transit Riders hosted a forum in Barrhaven. Local councillor Wilson Lo attended as did about a dozen residents.

Here is a copy of the report:

We asked participants what sort of improvements they would like to see and they offered the following suggestions.

  • Improved infrastructure: Better connections between bike paths and transit stations and safer pedestrian infrastructure.
  • Solutions to reduce travel times and congestion: An example raised by participants was the ability for buses to leapfrog traffic on the highway. It was also suggested that mini buses or shuttles that go to local grocery stores and shopping centers be considered to reduce congestion.
  • Better planning: Participants expressed that OC Transpo needs to have a clear understanding of future demand to inform further changes to the system.

The Ottawa Transit Riders will host other events in other neighbourhoods throughout the year – where do you think we should go next?

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Para Transpo Talk

All week, OC Transpo is inviting people to talk about Para Transpo. Here are the dates and locations:

Tuesday, October 22

9 to 11 am, Good Companions Seniors Centre, 670 Albert Street

12:45 to 2:15 pm, Partners in Parenting, 2405 St. Laurent Boulevard

2:30 to 4 pm, St-Laurent Station (Stop E)

 

Wednesday, October 23

9 to 10:30 am, Pinecrest Community Health Centre, 1365 Richmond Road

10:45 am to noon, Carlingwood Shopping Centre (near Lifemark), 2121 Carling Avenue

1 to 2:30 pm, Harmer House Outreach Adult Day Program, 100 Forestview Crescent

2:45 to 4:15 pm, Terry Fox Station (across from Stop 4C)

 

Thursday, October 24

9 to 10:15 am, John G Mlacak Community Centre, 2500 Campeau Drive

10:30 am to noon, Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills, 9-1 Brewer Hunt Way

1 to 2:30 pm, Fallowfield Station (Park & Ride, near Stop 2A)

3 to 5 pm, Ottawa City Hall (Lisgar St. entrance), 110 Laurier Avenue West

We recommend that people who use Para Transpo and those who care about accessibility swing by to take a look.

 

Toute la semaine, OC Transpo invite les gens à parler de Para Transpo. Voici les dates et les lieux :

Le mardi 22 octobre

De 9 h à 11 h, centre pour personnes âgées The Good Companions, 670, rue Albert

De 12 h 45 à 14 h 15, Partners in Parenting, 2405, boulevard St-Laurent

De 14 h 30 à 16 h, station St-Laurent (arrêt E)

 

Le mercredi 23 octobre

De 9 h à 10 h 30, Centre de santé communautaire Pinecrest, 1365, chemin Richmond

De 10 h 45 à midi, centre commercial Carlingwood, 2121, avenue Carling (près de la clinique Lifemark)

De 13 h à 14 h 30, Programme de sensibilisation de jour pour adultes à la résidence Harmer Hose, 100, croissant Forestview

De 14 h 45 à 16 h 15, station Terry Fox (en face de l’arrêt 4C)

 

Le jeudi 24 octobre

De 9 h à 10 h 15, Centre communautaire John-G.-Mlacak, 2500, promenade Campeau

De 10 h 30 à midi, Ottawa-Carleton Lifeskills, 9-1, voie Brewer Hunt

De 13 h à 14 h 30, station Fallowfield (parc relais, près de l’arrêt 2A)

De 15 h à 17 h, hôtel de ville d’Ottawa, 110 avenue Laurier Ouest (entrée de la rue Lisgar)

Nous recommandons aux utilisateurs de Para Transpo et à ceux qui se soucient de l’accessibilité de passer y jeter un coup d’œil.

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Sign this petition

The Ottawa Transit Riders is angry that the city is considering service cuts and fare increases. This is not how you support public transit. Not how to mitigate climate change. Not how to create a liveable city. Sign this petition to let the city know that you are angry. Pass it around to friends.

PETITION: No Cuts to Public Transit - Horizon Ottawa

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Transit Panel at Carleton U on Oct 10th

Calling all students … the Carleton University Students' Association is hosting a panel on transit on Thursday, October 10th at 5:30 PM. Panel members include Joel Harden (Member of Provincial Parliament for Ottawa Centre), Shawn Menard (City Councillor), plus representatives from Ottawa Transit Riders, Free Transit Ottawa, and Horizon Ottawa.

Come talk about problems and solutions.

There will be time for questions and an opportunity to mingle with panellists after the event.

The forum is being held in the Nideyinan (University Centre) Galleria.

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Bank St Transit Forum on Sat at Sunnyside Library

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 28th, Free Transit Ottawa is hosting a Bank Street Transit Forum from 2:30 to 4:30 at the Sunnyside Public Library, 1049 Bank street in room 1A.

If you care about public transit, especially about the choices we make in neighbourhoods like the Glebe, join like-minded residents to chat about solutions.

 

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