Community Wellness Committee welcomes on-demand transit

The Community Wellness Committee, a committee of Niagara-on-the-Lake town council, wholeheartedly supports the implementation of the On-Demand Transit Pilot Program in NOTL, as announced by the Town on Sept. 3.

This new system will provide a necessary service to many NOTL residents, allowing for greater flexibility in transportation and mobility options by permitting residents to select from pre-defined pickup and destination locations throughout the town. The development of this program was one of the Community Wellness Committee’s recommendations included in a report approved by council in January, 2020. 

The committee understands that, given the partnership with the Niagara Region and important implementation, operational and financial considerations, this service will not begin operating until November, 2020, pending regional council’s amendment of their contract with the service provider, and that initially, it will only serve the residents of Old Town, Virgil and Glendale corridor. We eagerly anticipate the expansion of this service to St. Davids, Queenston and the rural areas, and to inter-municipal transit options as early as possible in 2021. 

As with any other municipally-provided program or service that is used by the public, it is important for as many residents as possible to use it in order for it to be sustainable over the long-term. As the old saying goes, “use it or lose it.” For the new on-demand transit program to remain in town and be a valuable service, it will be particularly important for residents to take advantage of it as soon as it is implemented. 

It is also important for residents to know that there are alternative transportation solutions, such as: 

• Niagara Specialized Transit for eligible residents who may have a disability (for more information, visit the Niagara Region website at https://www.niagararegion.ca/transit/nst/default.aspx 

• Community Transport Group https://ctgcanada.ca/ 

• Individual taxi and Uber services 

The Community Wellness Committee supports town council and staff in their implementation of as many of our recommendations as possible, as outlined in our Report of Recommendations, approved by council in January. For more information about our report, please visit notl.org/content/
council-business.