Providing rural transit may get a second look in Lambton County

Politicians in Lambton County are considering taking a new look at the possibility of providing a transit system for its rural residents.

The second look at the issue was initiated by Warwick Township Mayor Todd Case who asked at county council earlier this summer that senior staff dust off previous reports looking at the potential for a rural transit system in Lambton.

“I think it’s very important that we do take a look at it,” Case said. “Getting people from place to place is important and it is a struggle in rural communities.”

That includes getting to medical appointments and classes at Lambton College, he said.

The result of the recent review by county staff is a recommendation to provide up to $150,000 to help fund a new study into the demand and feasibility of a rural, inter-community transportation system.

That has been endorsed by a committee of county council and will be considered by the full council when it meets Wednesday.

The county isn’t currently directly involved in any public transit services but there two regional inter-community, rural programs operating in some areas of Lambton with funding from a provincial grant program.

Huron Shores Area Transit connects Sarnia, Forest, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, Grand Bend, as well as communities in Huron and Middlesex counties, and London, on four routes, according to a recent county report. Another program connects Sarnia, Strathroy, Mount Bridges, Komoka and London.

Sarnia Transit, a bus service run by the City of Sarnia, serves its residents and neighboring Point Edward.

Services offered by Lambton Elderly Outreach and the Canadian Red Cross provide affordable transportation to older adults and individuals with disabilities to attend social activities, medical appointments and shopping, plus the Canadian Cancer Society and Lambton County Development Services provide some transportation for their clients, the report says.

Lambton was part of a 2016 pilot project funded by the county providing no-cost transportation to some vulnerable residents to attend health-related appointments and access food banks. That joint initiative with the North Lambton Community Health Centre, Red Cross and Lambton Elderly Outreach no longer receives county funding but still exists with a limited budget, the report says.

It notes there are currently no known provincial funding opportunities for new rural, inter-community projects.

Lambton looked at the potential for rural systems back in 2016 and 2017 but decided against moving ahead.

The recent report says a “demand and feasibility study” would be needed to create and seek funding for a rural transportation system in Lambton.

Its recommendation calls for authorizing up to $150,000 in county funding to hire a consultant for a study, if at least $50,000 in other funding can be secured. Federal funding to help plan rural transportation projects may become available, the study said.

While riders could provide some revenue, shortfalls in operating and capital costs would end up being paid by municipalities, the study says.

“We really have to lobby the provincial government to provide some funding to at least put a test project in place,” Case said.

“Perhaps we can try it here in Lambton for a year or two, with some provincial funding,” he said.

“If it falls on us to provide the funding, it definitely is a struggle.”

Case said he’s hopeful a way may be found to provide “at least a couple of round trips a day” between rural Lambton communities and Sarnia “to get people to those medical appointments” and “to Lambton College for educational reasons.”

Transportation in rural communities has become “more of a struggle” as fewer have their own local services, such a doctor’s offices, Case said.

“A lot of us in rural communities used to have those services at our fingertips” but now residents often have to travel longer distances to reach them, he said.

A rural transportation system could also help residents get to job opportunities that are now “spread out” at a time when the cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle has become more expensive, Case said.

“I use the example of young people trying to get to seasonal jobs in Grand Bend,” he said.

“I think it’s something we really need to take a good look at and see exactly what kind of service we can offer in Lambton” and “what kind of service we can afford,” Case said.

[email protected]