South Huron Mayor Suggests The Province Should Take Over The Cost Of Running Inter-County Transit

by Bob Montgomery

Huron Shores Area Transit is one of many small transit systems throughout the province that are funded, primarily, by the provincial government.

And that funding runs out at the end of March. At that point the transit systems will be dependent on their member municipalities for funding. At this past week’s Huron County council meeting, South Huron Mayor George Finch suggested the province should be funding the small transit systems that run between rural communities. He says transit is very important these days, it's a very effective way of moving people around, young people are used to it and he says a recent survey that he saw said 97 percent of Canadians believe it is an essential service.

Finch says ridership in Huron Shores has gone up to about 25-thousand, and adds, if we're really interested in bringing people to our communities to work, live, and play, connecting rural communities with public transit systems is the way to do it. He points out both seniors and younger people are struggling with the cost of housing these days and not everyone can afford a vehicle, so connected transit systems would alleviate some of that pressure.

Finch says the province has already down-loaded so much on rural communities that are already paying more for health, housing, and police costs, to name a few, he suggests the province should be able to cover at least some of the cost of a transit system. Finch also points out many business owners depend on that transportation to bring some of their employees to work and if those young people don't have a way of getting to work, their employers have to reduce their hours or the number of days in a week that they're open.

Finch says the number of people that use the Huron Shores Area Transit System is just one example of how important public transit is to rural communities.