Durham transit riders say candidates ignore system's struggles as election nears

DURHAM REGION · Transit riders in Durham Region say municipal candidates are largely ignoring the struggling public transit system as the election approaches. Advocates warn that service has not kept up with community needs. The Durham regional council, composed of elected mayors and councillors, is responsible for transit decisions. Michael Gemmink, a Pickering resident who relies on the bus, said transit was absent from a recent mayoral debate. He called the omission a "glaring oversight."

Gemmink described Durham Region Transit as "abysmal" and "deeply" unreliable, with frequent missed schedules and overcrowding. He said it can take him 25 minutes to walk to the nearest bus stop, while others face walks of up to 50 minutes. "When you're talking about having insufficient bus coverage, that's just not something they care about," he said of candidates. The poor service forces him to use Ubers for appointments, and he called the fares a "steep" barrier. "It completely limits where you can go," he added.

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe has highlighted the Durham-Scarborough rapid transit project as a way to improve service. His campaign platform and social media, however, contain few other transit ideas. Pickering councillor Lisa Robinson's platform does not specifically mention transit, though she has spoken about limiting development based on infrastructure capacity. In Oshawa, resident Eric Polsinelli is pushing for better transit and active transportation networks despite primarily driving. "We need to give people safe options," Polsinelli said.

READ MORE: Ottawa mayoral candidates propose fare cuts, hikes and service fixes

READ MORE: Transit, safety and housing dominate final Kitchissippi ward council debate

Polsinelli pointed to mayoral candidate Derek Giberson's downtown traffic lane proposal as a potential improvement for walkability. He also mentioned the long-discussed gondola concept for Oshawa as an unconventional idea. Candidate Tito-Dante Marimpietri opposes the gondola, while Jim Lee and Derek Giberson have not supported it. Polsinelli expressed disappointment that most candidates avoid "serious" discussions about daily transit realities. "It's disappointing to see that, it's just not a topic," he said.

Dale Perlas of the advocacy group More Transit Southern Ontario said transit has become a background issue in campaigns across Durham. He rides transit daily from Pickering and said post-pandemic service cuts have left neighbourhoods without coverage. "Our municipal leaders need to take a stand for transit as part of its infrastructure network as well as an important municipal service," Perlas said. He also worries about the province's plan to appoint the next regional council chair, limiting voter input.

"If there’s any chance that an appointed chair could block more investment into the (transit) network, that can create a transit death spiral," Perlas said. Municipal leaders in Durham have called on the province to scrap the appointment plan. The provincial government has said the change would help align municipal and provincial goals. Perlas said he is encouraged by regional plans like the Driving Durham five-year strategy to fix service gaps. Durham Region recently surveyed riders about their transit experiences and said the findings are under review, with results expected early next year.

With files from CBC News