Last night, Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake Council voted in favour of combining all of Niagara’s existing public transit services into one single, integrated transit commission serving all of Niagara.
The Moving Transit Forward proposal is based on over 10 years of research, experience, consultation, and feedback. The goal is to consolidate public transit services across Niagara and provide improved connections, consistent fares and operating hours, and digital payment technology.
The Linking Niagara Transit Committee consists of representatives from Niagara Region, local municipalities, community stakeholders, and transit operators. Public feedback was collected in the Fall of 2021 and showed 85% in favour of the Service Standards Strategy, 82% in favour of the Governance Strategy, and 79% in favour of the Financial Model.
“Having a consolidated transit system across Niagara will be an excellent improvement for all communities,” stated Lord Mayor Betty Disero. “Residents from all municipalities in Niagara will be able to travel Region-wide, making their transportation process more convenient. The longer operating hours will allow more individuals, especially those on shift work, to easily access Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
On November 25, Regional Council voted in favour of the plan. All 12 Niagara local area municipalities vote on the proposal in December or January. To move forward with the proposed plan, a majority of Niagara’s Municipal Councils, representing a majority of Niagara's electors, must vote in favour of the plan. The Town was the sixth municipality to vote in favour of the proposed consolidated transit plan.
“This new transit system will contribute to the social and economic prosperity of our Town and the Region as a whole,” stated CAO Marnie Cluckie. “This is an excellent step to prepare Niagara for the future and meet the needs of its growing population.”
For more information on the Niagara’s proposed consolidated transit model, visit www.movingtransitforward.ca or contact the project team at transit@niagararegion.ca.
For immediate alerts, follow the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit the Town’s transit governance webpage.
Media contact:
Marah Minor, Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator 905-468-3266 | communications@notl.com