OC Transpo finishes first quarter of 2021 with $3.1M surplus
OC Transpo finished the first three months of 2021 with a $3.1 million budget surplus, despite lower ridership from COVID-19.
In a report prepared for the city's transit commission, city staff say the surplus is a result of lower spending, due to vacant job positions, and an injection of funding from other levels of government.
The federal government's Safe Restart Agreement with the province of Ontario provided $40.9 million to OC Transpo to cover pandemic-related shortfalls as well as pay for enhanced cleaning and personal protective equipment, staff said.
The net budget for OC Transpo in Q1 was just over $94 million, but the transit commission report says the first quarter came in at just over $91 million.
"The Q2 Status Report, which includes a forecast for the year, will provide a better indication as to the overall year-end position," the report states.
Ridership on OC Transpo has been at much lower levels since April 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is keeping many workers in Ottawa home. A stay-at-home order in January 2021 brought ridership down to about 18 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. There were some gains in February and March, with the first quarter ending at around 26 per cent of normal levels.
However, another stay-at-home order was issued in April, which brought levels back below 20 per cent.
Temporary route suspensions
Planned suspension of some routes between the suburbs and downtown is scheduled to begin Saturday. OC Transpo says this move, alongside the reduction of 70 jobs through attrition, is intended to save about $5.5 million in 2021.
OC Transpo says the following nine routes will be temporarily suspended, with their last day of operation on Friday:
- Route 17 from Wateridge – Customers can use Routes 7 and 27
- Route 224 from Beacon Hill – Customers can use Route 24 to connect to Blair Station
- Route 225 from Orléans and Chapel Hill South – Customers can use Route 34 and adjusted Route 32 to connect to Blair Station
- Route 233 from Orléans – Customers can use Route 33 to connect to Blair Station
- Route 235 from Orléans – Customers can use Route 35 to connect to Blair Station
- Route 251 from Bells Corners – Customers can use Route 57 to connect to Tunney’s Pasture Station
- Route 266 from Kanata – Customers can use Routes 63 and 64 to connect to Tunney’s Pasture Station
- Route 275 from Barrhaven – Customers can use Route 75 to connect to Tunney’s Pasture Station
- Route 284 from Manordale – Customers can use adjusted Route 82 to connect to Tunney’s Pasture Station
"These routes will be temporarily suspended until system ridership recovers to closer to normal levels," staff said.
OC Transpo's summer service begins June 20.
Service on many 200-series "Connexion" routes will be reduced to every 30 minutes, while several other routes will see frequency reductions during peak periods Monday to Friday.
Some routes are to be shortened while others will be extended, staff say, noting that service to downtown has declined significantly but routes serving hospitals, shopping areas, and some employment locations have remained up to 80 per cent of normal levels.
The transit commission meets Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.