Strathmore applies brakes on the regional transit pilot project

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Town council showed some reservation when the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) introduced their two-year regional transit pilot project in more detail last week. The plan revealed too many uncertainties that prevented council from jumping onto the bandwagon.
While the project currently only affects five municipalities – Okotoks, High River, Nanton, Turner Valley, and Black Diamond – the presentation to provide more details on the concept raised numerous concerns in Strathmore including costs, consumer losses to Calgary, effects on the current bus system, and the town’s readiness if an eastern pilot project were proposed in the near future.
The Calgary Regional Partnership, which is comprised of 14 municipalities surrounding Calgary including Strathmore, will be considering the On-it regional transit system on Sept. 18 and addressed the local council to inform them on the sub-regional pilot progress.
“It allows for the phasing in of a regional transit system, but more importantly it demonstrates how a regional service can be delivered by working together, and we have five municipalities coming together to deliver this pilot, which is quite an accomplishment in itself,” said Ettore Iannacito, regional transportation program manager for CRP.
“It’s not as simple as putting buses up there. It’s, how do you get five municipalities to come to an agreement on the future and what happens after the two years that the pilot runs its course. The intent is that we like to keep this running. We’re not viewing this as just a pilot. Sure, it’s trying out the service, it’s a test, but we’re viewing this as the launch of a regional transit service.”
The partnership receives 40 cents per capita from its members, as well as funds from the provincial government. The project is funded by a provincial government grant capped at $500,000, allowing for the partnership to absorb most of the costs. While council was told municipalities may need to put up funds for operations, such as infrastructure costs, they would not be required to account for capital expenditures.
While assuring that staff took a conservative approach in their estimations, cost-sharing among the five municipalities could become a reality on the off-chance that costs rise.
“One of the benefits for this pilot project, of course, is there is eventually a suggested pilot project for Strathmore and Chestermere into the City of Calgary. You’ll be able to look at those experiences High River, Okotoks, and Nanton are all experiencing to help you decide on your decision making,” said Bill Robertson, chair of CRP and the Mayor for Okotoks.
“The pilot project coming forward on Sept. 18 is only dealing with the south leg. Whether Strathmore participates that comes later. That’s not part of this decision by any means. But once again, this might well provide more information, to make a better-informed decision on Strathmore participation in the future pilot project.”
Despite highlighting the benefits of the system, Robertson and Iannacito said the plan includes providing transportation for those unable, or without access to a personal vehicle, addresses the environmental footprint, attracting businesses by providing access to workers, and lowering accident rate by taking more vehicles off the road. Still some councillors remained apprehensive.
As Strathmore already has buses from Cardinal Coach Lines and Greyhound Canada delivering residents to Calgary during the week, Councillor Steve Grajczyk voiced his concern with bringing in a competing service. Furthermore, he took issue with CRP’s spending track-record. The partnership spent nearly $200,000 on branding, a communications plan, marketing plan, video and research that staff said was invaluable in creating a business model.
“This is no disrespect to anyone sitting here, this is from the bottom of my heart, you do a lot of hard work and I know that, but $21 million could’ve been put to better use,” Grajczyk said.
“We haven’t accomplished a heck of a lot in that time. You spent $175,000 on branding of the bus, to me that’s ridiculous to put a name on it. That’s poor management and you’re asking me to go along with your decision-making? I’m really concerned about the cost, that’s the bottom line. Secondly I think it’s premature for Strathmore, very premature.”
Council was not privy to the costs associated with the pilot project, however, those in attendance were eager to come back with a detailed report on the cost breakdown when more time was available. Yet other councillors were interested in information regarding the transportation for smaller communities, and statistics on how many residents use the transit in Calgary, to travel to surrounding communities for sporting and social events.
Yet for Councillor Rocky Blokland, who is also a local business owner, the issue remained one of losing residents to the city for their shopping needs.
“I can understand the primary use of a regional transit system,” he said.
“Pulling a bus load of people out of this town every day, five or six days a week … I have a problem with that. As a business owner in this town and as a councillor, I’ve seen studies where the dollar leakage in this town is high and I’m sure it’s the same in Okotoks, High River and Nanton and all these other places. There is a list of a dozen businesses we need, but the fact of the matter is we are too close to Calgary.”
Despite active discussions during the Sept. 2 council meeting, the Calgary Regional Partnership was not proposing a future eastern pilot project. Over the course of the south pilot project’s two years, the CRP said they will monitor, perform studies, and conduct surveys. While council showed interest in future discussions, for now they would like to wait and review the data once it’s collected before considering a pilot project if proposed in the future.
“There’s too many ifs at this point in time, especially in dollars and cents wise, and I don’t want to put that on the taxpayers back in Strathmore or even on the provincial government, because we haven’t got that kind of money anymore,” Grajczyk added.
“I want to commend you folks for doing this, I really do, and I’m of the nature I’d like to wait and see how you do in your two-year pilot project. We can ask for information now and another presentation, but really what’s going to tell a story is at the end of two years and that’s what I’d like to wait for.”