Ottawa's Transit Crisis: Cuts, Cancellations, and Congestion

0:00It's March 23rd. This is Canada News Today, driven by AI. Ottawa's public transit system is facing major headaches with thousands of bus trips canceled lately. In February alone, OC Transpo acts 6,501 trips and another 1,020 got scrapped the first week of March. Freezing rains shut down the Line 1 light rail last week, forcing nearly 500 more bus rerouts. Service cuts on some routes and fewer buses overall have added to the chaos, especially as the city replaces rail with buses during breakdowns. Counselor Lane Johnson from College Ward warns this approach is backfiring, pushing riders back to cars instead of building loyalty. Riders are frustrated, and Johnson says the city must invest more aggressively in transit to handle growing congestion. She points out there's no room for endless road building as more people buy cars and scaling back now just prolongs the pain. Johnson calls for a bigger bus fleet to cover maintenance and shutdowns, plus bringing back commuter express routes until light rail expansions are complete.

1:03She's also pushing to fight urban sprawl by focusing development near existing transit hubs. Progress is stirring on the baseline bus. Rapid Transit Project, approved back in 2017 and now eyeing federal funds. With high ridership already there and 24,000 new residents expected soon, it's primed to ease rush hour jams and keep the system moving forward.