Louis Pin – The Sarnia Observer, March 26, 2019
Sarnia Transit could soon seriously consider a new bus terminal or a new route thanks to more than $27 million in newly promised shared government funding announced Tuesday.
The funding, through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, is meant to offset infrastructure costs for local transit services, including the replacement of aging vehicles and modernizing transit systems. It could be the key to the transportation hub suggested in Sarnia’s 2014 master transit plan, then the first major review of Sarnia’s public transit in more than two decades.
The transit system could benefit from a terminal at Murphy Road and London Road, said Andrew Savor, superintendent with Sarnia Transit, but discussions on a transit hub have hinged on funding that, before now, was “an issue.”
“As part of the transit master plans, the consultants suggested that we need a new terminal,” Savor said. “This infrastructure money would certainly let us cover some of those costs.”
In total, the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program will distribute $30 billion over 10 years across public transit, green energy, rural and urban infrastructure, and recreation. It’s entirely separate from Sarnia Transit’s operational budget, pegged at roughly $7.6 million annually.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said he was “incredulous” about the amount of money when contacted by Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton Monday.
“I knew there was money coming. I did not know it would be that significant,” Bradley said. “There’s lots of needs. We’ve had growth in our transit system, for instance, with more international students.”
Sarnia’s Lambton College has long made international student recruitment a priority. Its initiatives have been thus far successful, to the point where the college asked community members to rent to students before their January 2018 term. Last September, the school reported more than 900 international students were enrolled in its programs.
In 2017, the school set a goal of 1,200 international students by 2020. That influx is creating more demand for Sarnia’s public transit system, Savor said.
“We may add a bus,” Savor said. “Lambton College has told us that they may have another 200 to 300 students arriving over the next two to three years. That will certainly add ridership numbers.”
Sarnia’s 2014 transit master plan suggested the city’s investment in public transit was “lowest amongst its peers” and ridership was “low compared to its peers.” The same report also said the system was nevertheless run efficiently.
It’s also important for Sarnia residents unable to afford a vehicle.
“I think it’s a great investment from a government that really wasn’t being viewed when they were elected as transit-friendly,” Bradley said. “It is a social service to the people that need it. They don’t have an alternative.”
Sarnia’s transit system has 29 vehicles in operation. Of those, four are due for replacement over the next two to three years.
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