New ways to bus info session on April 5th
If you ride transit, you have probably seen posters about “New Ways to Bus”. What is it? What does it mean?
On April 27th, bus routes across the city will change. We recommend that you check the OC Transpo website for details on the buses that you rely on. It is hoped that this new schedule will make the buses more reliable since that is a key complaint of transit users.
Several city councillors, including Transit Commission chair, Glen Gower are offering information sessions. Here is what he says in his newsletter:
To help residents learn more about Stittsville’s route changes and get help in navigating these new routes, councillor Gower is co-hosting a drop in event with OC Transpo at CARDELREC on Saturday, April 5 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
Le 5 avril : Séance d’information d’OC Transpo sur l’initiative « L’autobus réinventé »
L’initiative « L’autobus réinventé » d’OC Transpo sera lancée le dimanche 27 avril, et des modifications seront apportées au service et aux circuits dans l’ensemble de la Ville. Pour permettre aux résidents d’en apprendre davantage sur les modifications apportées aux circuits à Stittsville et les aider à s’orienter dans ces nouveaux circuits, le conseiller Gower organise un événement conjoint avec OC Transpo au Complexe récréatif CARDELREC le samedi 5 avril, de 10 h à 12 h.
Urbanism book club on Tuesday
On Tuesday, (April 1st), the Urbanism book club will discuss Anna Zivarts' book "When Driving is not an Option" which centers the experiences of people who cannot drive or choose not to drive. The author spoke recently at EnviroCentre's annual symposium.
The discussion will be held at Sunnyside Library from 6:15-7:45pm and there is no cost to attend.
Communities for Everyone: When Driving is Not an Option
EnviroCentre is hosting a talk by Anna Zivarts, author of “When Driving is not an Option” on Thursday, March 27th at 7PM.
For details and tickets, click here: Communities for Everyone: When Driving is Not an Option Tickets, Thu, Mar 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite
EnviroCentre symposium "Connecting the Dots"
EnviroCentre is a non-government organization in Ottawa that "scopes, designs, delivers and scales practical solutions to dramatically reduce climate emissions in our communities."
Their annual symposium will take place on Thursday, March 27th and Friday, March 28th.
Communities for Everyone: When Driving isn’t an Option
March 27 | 7:00pm – 8:45pm
University of Ottawa
Faculty of Health Sciences FHS, Lees Rm 142
Join Anna Zivarts, author of When Driving is Not an Option, for an eye-opening talk on inclusive and universal design in transportation. Tickets are $15.
Connecting the Dots on Transit
March 28 | 9:30am – 3:00pm
National Arts Centre, Canada Room
1 Elgin Street Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1
A representative of the Ottawa Transit Riders will speak on one of the panels.
For details or to register to attend, click here: https://envirocentre.ca/annual-symposium/
Survey shows Canadians want action on climate change
In a Léger poll commissioned by Équiterre, 71% of Canadians say they want their next federal government, regardless of its political stripe, to do more to address climate change, to adapt to its consequences and to protect nature.
Survey: A strong majority of Canadians wants more environmental action from the next government
81% of respondents see investing in public transit systems as the preferred solution to the ever-worsening problem of congestion.
Surveys like this give me hope. Canadians want action on climate change – advocating for better public transit is action towards building a better world.
Next … we need to ask people in Ottawa to VOTE as if they cared about the environment.
Election debate on Monday, Feb 10th
The provincial election is upon us!
The campaign is short since election day is February 27th.
Do you have questions? Are you curious what each party plans for transit?
The Ottawa Transit Riders invites you to a debate on public transit. We have invited representatives from all the major parties to attend.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/provincial-election-debate-on-public-transit-tickets-1233161422009?aff=oddtdtcreator
Date: Monday, February 10, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Location: Jack Purcell Community Centre (320 Jack Purcell Ln), Room 203. Accessible by the 5 and 14 bus routes on Elgin Street, or a 15-minute walk from the uOttawa LRT station.
Engage with the candidates and learn about their party platforms on transit in Ottawa and Ontario. This in-person event will be a chance to put the spotlight on transit issues and the role the provincial government can play in shaping transit in our city!
We will hear from the following candidates:
Catherine McKenney: candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party in Ottawa Centre
Christian Proulx: candidate for the Green Party of Ontario in Ottawa-Vanier
Thomas Simpson: candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party in Ottawa Centre
Candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario TBD.
Note: This debate will be held primarily in English. The meeting room is physically accessible with elevators and accessible washrooms.
Transit Forum in Rideau-Vanier Feb 22
Ottawa Transit Riders and Free Transit Ottawa are teaming up to host a transit forum in Rideau-Vanier. If you live in this neighbourhood, or ride the bus here, or just have strong opinions about public transit in Ottawa, come and join us.
Saturday, February 22 at 2:30 PM
270 Marier Avenue, Community room, 1st floor.
Buses 12 and 19
Le groupe des usagers de transport en commun à Ottawa et Free Transit Ottawa s'associent pour organiser un forum sur le transport en commun à Rideau-Vanier. Si vous vivez dans ce quartier, si vous y prenez l'autobus ou si vous avez simplement des opinions bien arrêtées sur le transport en commun à Ottawa, venez vous joindre à nous.
Samedi 22 février à 14 h 30
270, avenue Marier, salle communautaire, 1er étage.
Autobus 12 ou 19
Consultations on dedicated bus lanes - TODAY (Thursday)
The city is hosting consultations on Baseline's Bus Rapid Transit proposal (aka dedicated bus lanes).
As most people who remember Ottawa's Transitway understand, such bus lanes are a cheap and effective way to make transit more efficient. Members of the Ottawa Transit Riders are encouraged to attend.
Ottawa hosting public meeting on proposed Baseline BRT plan
Public servants and transit on Christmas Eve
If you’re a public servant or know one, you may be aware of the game that is played on Christmas Eve called “will we go home early?”
Officially, December 24th is a regular workday. If you want to take if off, you have to take the full 7.5 hours. But UNOFFICIALLY, sometimes public servants are allowed to go home early.
What does that mean? Well, if you ARE allowed to leave work early, you flood into the streets to discover that there are few buses because neither OC Transpo nor STO plan for an influx of commuters going home at noon. Office start and finish times are usually staggered, which minimizes rush hour pressure, but not on Christmas Eve.
So transit is a mess. And once people have played this game a few times, they realize that transit doesn’t function that day so lots and LOTS of people drive to work on Christmas Eve – thus increasing traffic and parking woes during an already busy season.
Let’s stop playing this silly game.
Treasury Board should decide in advance if December 24th is a full day or a half day. And they should warn the transit system well in advance … like six months in advance so that OC Transpo and STO can make arrangements for the day.
We’re adults. Pretending to be delightfully surprised when the boss sends us home early one day per year is a little beneath us.
Dude, where's my bus?
Very grateful to Gio Petti for his hard work creating a documentary on how we got into this situation with transit in Ottawa. We used to have a functioning system!