Submission to Master Plan Consultation

This brief is a contribution from End Homelessness Winnipeg to ’s Transit Master Plan Consultation. We support the vision of Winnipeg Transit to be focused on & equity. Below we outline what’s working/not working, in response to Winnipeg Transit Master Plan Consultation Questions. 1 This brief outlines recommendations for accessibility and equity of Winnipeg Transit, particularly for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

I. Consult People with Lived Experience of Homelessness

People experiencing homelessness are marginalized in our city and face particular issues in accessing transportation and public transit. They also are less likely to engage in City consultations in the usual manner (open houses, online surveys). We urge Winnipeg Transit to explicitly consult and engage people with lived experience of homelessness on the Transit Master Plan, and End Homelessness Winnipeg would be happy to facilitate these efforts.

II. Transportation for Those Experiencing Homelessness

Access to public transit is essential to the lives of those experiencing homelessness. The 2018 Winnipeg Street Health Survey Final Report found that lack of transportation is among the top five barriers to finding and maintaining housing: 63% of participants indicated lack of transportation as a barrier.2 People rely on transit, and particularly free routes (#1,2,3), with few other choices to get around. During periods of extreme weather, access to public transit also provides a reprieve from weather conditions.

III. Formal Connections to Supports

People experiencing homelessness rely on public transit as an option for transportation, but do not always have the means to pay the . There may also be situations in which someone rides the bus to stay warm and stays on the bus for an extended period of time.

It would be to Winnipeg Transit’s benefit to have formal connections with existing social service agencies that can be called upon if someone needs to be asked to leave a bus or a bus shelter, to ensure they have somewhere safe to go. A formal policy & communication of the partnership would need so drivers and supervisors know what to do in certain situations. Additionally, this partnership could facilitate training for transit staff on de-escalation & how to identify if someone is in emotional, mental, or physical distress & need, much like the current training offered through Main Street Project.3 Financial resources must support the agency that would be called upon and offer trainings.

1 Winnipeg Transit, “Transit Master Plan,” https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan. 2 Isaak, C., Hinds, A., Steur, T., Nelson, G., Campos-Ordonez, P. 2018 Street Health Survey, (Winnipeg: End Homelessness Winnipeg, 2019), 17, https://endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/2018-Winnipeg-Street-Health- Survey-Final-Report.pdf. 3 Aldo Santin, “Bus Drivers Learn about dangerous passengers,” , December 12, 2019, https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/bus-drivers-learn-about-dangerous-passengers-502633081.html. IV. Affordability

People with limited income are affected by transit and fare increases the most.

Low Income Bus Pass: We commend the commitment from elected officials to implement a low-income in 2020.4 This is an essential part of an equitable and accessible public transit system. Depending on how Winnipeg will implement this program, considerations need to be made for those experiencing homelessness in our city, particularly around challenges in proof of residence or income, as is required in other city programs. 5 Consultation with community organizations and those experiencing homelessness should inform the design of Winnipeg’s Low Income Bus Pass.6

PRECEDENT: ’s PATH (Providing Accessible Transit Here) Program provides a free monthly transit pass to individuals who are experiencing homelessness or are at high risk of homelessness. The program is relationship based and administered through community organizations. A Social Return on Investment Analysis was conducted on the project, showing for every $1 invested in the project, $1.92 was created in social investment, resulting in the program paying for itself in 3.1 months through offsetting costs (enforcement programs and associated court or administrative costs).7 The program is a part of Edmonton’s Low-Income Transit Pass.8

Coordination with Employment & Income Assistance: Anecdotal evidence suggests that those receiving EIA need to prove a minimum number of health appointments per week in order to qualify for transit support in their benefits. Winnipeg Transit should engage with the Province’s Employment & Income Assistance (EIA) program to ensure all those receiving EIA, who do not have another mode of transportation, can receive a transit pass.9

Free Bus Routes: The #3 Downtown Spirit free bus route is frequented by people experiencing homelessness, as the route passes by many of the community resources and emergency shelters people access daily. During the winter months, this route becomes a life-line, but its frequency is low. Consultation with people who rely on the free bus routes needs to be conducted to explore how it best serves their needs or if re-routing or adjustments to schedules could better respond to local needs.

V. Health

Public transit is integral to health and has been shown to improve mental health, enhanced social inclusion & increased access to opportunities, services, healthcare, and housing. Particularly for people

4 Stephanie Tsicos, “City proposing low income bus passes in 2019 preliminary budget,” CTV News Winnipeg, March 1, 2019, https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/city-proposing-low-income-bus-passes-in-2019-preliminary-budget-1.4319291. 5 Transit, “Low Income Monthly Pass,” https://www.calgarytransit.com/fares-passes/passes/low-income-monthly-pass; , “Low income transit pass program,” https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/transit-programs- services/low-income-transit-pass-program; Markus Beveridge, Affordable Transit Pass Programs for Low Income Individuals, (Winnipeg: Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 2016), https://spcw.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ AffordableTransitReport-SPCW-2016.pdf. 6 Ellen Smirl, “Fast Facts: How to Make a Low Income Bus Pass Work,” https://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/ commentary/fast-facts-how-make-low-income-bus-pass-work. 7 , “Providing Accessible Transit Here,” https://www.edmonton.ca/ets/access-pass.aspx. 8 Edmonton Transit Service, “Ride Transit Program,” https://www.edmonton.ca/ets/subsidized-transit.aspx. 9 Smirl, Fast Facts. experiencing homelessness, accessible transit equalizes opportunities, and access to health and social services.10

VI. Transportation + Housing

Cities and communities around the world are rethinking housing affordability (typically defined as paying 30% or less of income on shelter) and looking at a new definition of affordability as 45% of income spent on housing + transportation.11 Transportation is often a family’s second largest expenditure and the costs of the two are linked. For every dollar an American family saves on housing, they spend 77 cents on transportation (Canadian numbers are likely similar).12 Because the costs are linked, the best responses will also be linked. The “need for affordable housing near affordable transportation service is critical to reducing the overall cost burden on low-income household budgets.”13

Additionally, it has been shown that home prices increase near access to , which could result in potential gentrification or displacement.14 To minimize this effect, integrating affordable housing near transit hubs or along rapid transit corridors is a win-win: it capitalizes on the transit investment already made by government, builds in captive ridership as lower-income people are more likely to rely on transit, and can deter displacement of low-income people.

Winnipeg Transit can align the Transit Master Plan with the City of Winnipeg’s plans & policies around infill, housing, and affordable housing development and, as some cities do, mandate, incentivize, or reward the development of affordable housing near public transit.

VII. Transit Plus

Transit Plus, the service that aims to make Winnipeg Transit fully-accessible, has been described as “not living up to its mission to provide an alternative service for those who rely on it.”15 For those with economic disadvantage, experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, the issue of physical mobility or disabilities is compounded. Ensuring the service of Transit Plus meets the needs of the riders will be one of the most important steps to ensure Winnipeg Transit is an equitable and accessible system. Engaging those who rely on Transit Plus and are experiencing or at risk of homelessness should be a priority in consultation in the Transit Plan.

10 WRHA, “Public Transportation and Health” (December 2017), http://www.wrha.mb.ca/extranet/publichealth/ files/PublicTransportationandHealth.pdf. 11 Housing + Transportation (H+T) Index, https://htaindex.cnt.org/. 12 Center for Transit Oriented Development [CTOD], Mixed Income Housing Near Transit, (USA: Center for Transit Oriented Development, 2009), http://ctod.org/pdfs/tod201.pdf. 13 Reconnecting America, Realizing the Potential: Expanding Housing Opportunities Near Transit, (USA: Center for Transit Oriented Development, 2007), 2, http://ctod.org/pdfs/2007RealizingPotential.pdf 14 Dawkins, C. & Moeckel, R. “Transit-Induced Gentrification: Who Will Stay, and Who Will Go?” Housing Policy Debate 26 no. 4- 5 (2016), 801-818; Jones, C. & Ley, D. “Transit-Oriented Development and Gentrification Along Metro Vancouver’s Low-Income Sky Train Corridor,” The Canadian Geographer 60, no.1 (2016), 9-22. 15 Carlos Sosa, “Riders with disabilities deserve better transit,” Winnipeg Free Press, April 12, 2019, https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/riders-with-disabilities-deserve-better-transit-508475682.html