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
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.