The reliability of OC Transpo was the focus of a meeting of the City's transit commission.

New data shows routes 6, 7, and 12 have a higher-than-average cancellation rate than the rest of the system.

Councillor Mathieu Fleury says the City needs to be mindful of how this impacts people's lives.

"We collectively want to make bus usage a lifestyle and when you start creating these situations where it's not just a delay or life planning it's actually impacting their livelihood, it's challenging."

Transit boss John Manconi says Ottawa has hit the peak of detours and delays will lessen with light-rail transit.

“The service will improve. It’s at the peak of its peak in terms of being fragile, in terms of impacts. We are very conscious of what the customers are saying.”

However, the LRT won't solve everything as downtown buses will continue to get caught up in traffic, he adds.

“Some of this is not atypical of downtown core bus operations that get intermixed with traffic,” he said. “So, if you go to New York, Toronto, any downtown urban areas, you’re going to see these types of impacts on service.”

The transit commission also encouraged OC Transpo to ignore Quebec's niqab ban at Wednesday’s meeting.

A motion was passed to cement the City's stance against the ban, stating the City of Ottawa's commitment to "equality and diversity."

Commissioner Blair Crew says the motion will ensure the City's position won't change in the future, even under a different mayor.

He says the City will continue to respect the "freedoms guaranteed to all by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

Mayor Jim Watson has already written a letter to the Quebec premier condemning Bill 62, saying Ottawa will not follow suit on any routes that cross into Quebec.