Thirteen municipalities in the Edmonton Metropolitan region are examining the possibility of delivering integrated transit services, through a potential Regional Transit Service Commission. This initial exploration includes researching the overall feasibility of an integrated-service approach that aims to deliver efficient and affordable transit options for riders throughout the region.
On January 22, 2020 the team responsible for this examination released its report Accelerating Transit in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region: Building a Regional Transit Services Commission (24.5MB). This business case will be considered by municipal councils around the region.
In February and March 2020, the individual councils of all 13 Edmonton Metropolitan Region municipalities will vote on their decision to participate in a formal request to the Government of Alberta to create a new Regional Transit Commission.
Why consider creating a Regional Transit Commission?
Public transportation is a critical service that warrants regional consideration. As cities and communities continue to attract more people, demand for appealing and viable public transit alternatives for commuters continues to grow.
Municipal transit system providers face changing mobility preferences and shifts to regional economies that can make planning and forecasting transit services at the local level challenging.
In addition, the following considerations are worth examining at a regional level:
- The number of daily transit trips in the region has increased by nearly 9,000 since 2005, while the number of automobile trips has increased by about 236,000. That is one transit trip for every 26 automobile trips.
- Population impacts on our infrastructure and services may become more pronounced. For example, the regional forecast for 2020 population is 1.5 million and by 2065, this is expected to reach 3 million people, with 2 million people in the city of Edmonton and 1 million people in the region.
- Regional employment is forecasted to grow from 767,000 to 1.5 million jobs, reinforcing the need for efficient and effective transportation to support an increasing population.
What will be considered as part of the regional transit service commission business case?
The Regional Transit Service Commission business case will examine the possibility for:
- Convenient, cost-effective and extensive service across municipalities
- Integrated customer experience through improved community connections
This consideration will be based on data, costing and mapping of current local transit systems provided by each of the participating municipalities.
