Norfolk opts for status quo on public transit, for now

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

Big plans for Norfolk’s transit future have run into a big, but entirely familiar issue that’s led councillors to decide on holding the status quo for the time being.

Financial concerns caused Norfolk councillors to approve the first of four options offered to them at the May 13 council-in-committee meeting when the Ride Norfolk Transit Master Plan was presented. That option keeps the regular Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on-demand service, and twice daily fixed route schedule to Brantford.

However, Mayor Amy Martin, who made the motion to approve that option, also stressed it’s only until they get a better sense of provincial funding levels. She said she’d be open to expanded services should funding allow.

“The reality is Norfolk County is not in the financial position that we should be adding extensively to our services and building out a long-term commitment to transit when we don’t have a funding source that’s reliable or consistent,” she said.

As it stands now, Norfolk will already be on the hook for increased costs since funding through the Community Transportation Grant Program is coming to an end. A staff report suggests roughly $70,000 will need to be added to the levy next year to keep the status quo service.

Matt Lattavo, a consultant with Left Turn Right Turn Ltd. who helped the county develop the master plan, said ridership for Ride Norfolk has more than doubled since 2022. And if the proposed changes in the master plan were implemented, Norfolk could see those numbers increase significantly in the next decade.

“With these changes ridership is expected to triple over the next 10 years. Costs will increase but the value to the community, economic development, and supporting the continued growth of Norfolk County will significantly improve the wellbeing of residents,” he said.

But there’s no way around the fact that to do so requires financial commitments, said public transportation and business development coordinator Blaire Sylvester.

“If we want a transit system that meets our growing needs and strategic priorities we must be ready to invest,” Sylvester said, adding other municipalities are spending more on transit on a per capita basis.

She also said strong transit systems offer many benefits, including improved “quality of life and quality of place for users who are primarily seniors, youth, newcomers and residents with limited mobility.” 

It also attracts business investment, connects workers to jobs in the vital tourism, agriculture and service sectors, and reduces parking demand, she said.

Should funding become available or should council decide to increase the municipal levy to enhance transit, some of the improvements include adding a Saturday service, moving to a fixed route Simcoe service, on demand being offered to more areas of Norfolk, and a twice daily fixed-route with stops in Delhi, Port Dover and Simcoe.

Lattavo’s presentation also outlined goals of adding a third roundtrip route to Brantford with a stop in Waterford, as well as two more short route trips between Simcoe and Waterford. It also mentioned a seasonal route between Simcoe, Port Rowan and Long Point.

Route schedules would have something of a hybrid approach to start, hourly in some instances but every 30 minutes at key locations and during peak times. Ideally, they’d get to a full 30-minute schedule.