Eight municipalities in the Edmonton Metropolitan region are moving forward with delivering integrated transit services through a Regional Transit Service Commission. The initial exploration included researching the overall feasibility of an integrated-service approach that aims to deliver efficient and affordable transit options for riders throughout the region.
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 Regional Transit Service Commission business case will examine the possibility for:
This consideration will be based on data, costing and mapping of current local transit systems provided by each of the participating municipalities.
The eight partner municipalities in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region have received provincial approval to formally establish a Regional Transit Services Commission.
An Interim Board of elected representatives from the eight municipalities has been meeting to prepare for the implementation of the RTSC. This includes an executive search for a CEO and planning a smooth transition to the Commission.
In September 2017, City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert Councils approved an agreement to begin taking steps to develop a Regional Transit Services Commission. The other 11 Edmonton Metropolitan Region communities joined in October, 2018.
To begin this work, the Government of Alberta awarded the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert with a $3.7 Million Community Partnership Grant, as the initial signatories, to work with the region to analyze the feasibility of a potential Transit Commission.
The Regional Transit Services Commission Transition Team released its business case, including a strategic plan and financial model, in January 2020 to determine the viability of a Commission, and how it could best operate in the region.