70 PINE STREET, BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO P1L 1N3 Telephone (705) 645-2231 / Fax (705) 645-5319 / 1-800-461-4210 (705 area code) www.muskoka.on.ca To: Chair and Members Community and Planning Services Committee From: Jacquie Evans Transportation Network Coordinator Summer Valentine Director of Planning Date: February 20, 2020 Subject: Five Year Transportation Needs Assessment and Growth and Sustainability Plan – Project Update Report: CPS-2-2020-1 Recommendation This report is provided for information. Origin Following successful applications to the Community Transportation Grant and Ontario Gas Tax funding programs, the Five Year Transportation Needs Assessment and Growth and Sustainability Plan project was initiated with the goal of creating a community transportation network that effectively serves Muskoka, with a focus on vulnerable residents. To that end and to ensure the available funding is spent efficiently, an external consultant was retained to assess transportation needs and challenges and to recommend solutions. The project is now at the point where the consultant is seeking additional feedback from stakeholders and the Community and Planning Services (CPS) Committee on potential transportation options before finalizing their report and recommendations. Background information can be found in Report CPS-11-2019-7, and a summary of transportation funding sources currently being received by The District Municipality of Muskoka (the District) is included in Appendix “I”. Background Funding in the amount of $674,382 was secured through a Community Transportation Grant from the Ministry of Transportation. Total funding for community transportation initiatives also includes Provincial Gas Tax Funds and District contributions. The Community Transportation Grant is to be flowed from 2019-2023, and the other funding sources may vary annually depending on a variety of factors but are anticipated to be approximately $110,600 per year. Page 1 The Community Transportation Grant included approximately $60,000 to hire a qualified third party consultant. A Request for Proposals was released in July 2019, and the Transportation Consulting Network (TCN) was the successful bidder. The firm has extensive experience in developing rural transportation solutions including the Transit Needs Assessment and Ridership Growth Plan for the Town of Huntsville, the Public Transit Plan and Business Case for the County of Prince Edward, and the Greater Sudbury Transit Action Plan, to name a few. The consulting team was asked to address the following six key areas including: 1. Individual Transportation Solutions; 2. Accessible Rural Transportation Solutions; 3. Provision of East-West Connectivity; 4. Expansion of the Inter-Community Corridor 11 Bus; 5. Seamless Transportation Networks in Muskoka; and 6. Long-Term Growth and Financial Sustainability. The consultant began work on the Community Transportation Plan project on September 12, 2019. The project includes three phases: • Phase 1: Review Existing Transit Services and Best Practices; • Phase 2: Identify Preferred Transportation Options; and • Phase 3: Develop Transit Ridership Growth and Sustainability Plan. Analysis Below is a summary of the work completed for the Community Transportation Plan project to date. Phase 1 TCN conducted background research to understand the history of public transportation in Muskoka, including what projects and programs exist today or have been tried in the past, which have been successful, and what lessons have been learned. Service delivery models that have been used in other rural areas were also reviewed to understand best practices and determine which options could be considered and effectively implemented in the District. Next, TCN undertook extensive community engagement, including building awareness of the project and gathering input from the general public, Corridor 11 Bus passengers, staff, stakeholders, and agency leaders to assess community travel needs and existing system issues and opportunities. The consultant’s primary goal was to gain a clear understanding of stakeholder priorities and challenges. The community engagement process consisted of focus groups, an online community-wide survey, a meeting with existing transit service providers, one-on-one consultations with various stakeholders, and interviews with current Corridor 11 Bus users. Key themes that emerged from these consultations are summarized below, with further details in Appendices “II” to “V”. Key themes emerging from results of all Community Engagement activities: • Stronger transit links within and beyond the District of Muskoka are needed • A rural transportation program should have longer service hours and be more flexible than previous Muskoka Extended Transit (MET) service • Use of accessible vehicles to ensure accessibility across the transportation network is preferred • Consideration should be given to having the Corridor 11 Bus turn around in Orillia versus Barrie Page 2 • Southwestern Muskoka residents need connections to Midland and Orillia and the remainder of the District needs connections to towns currently served by Corridor 11 Bus • Use of public transit to reduce demand on volunteer-based services was seen as positive • Branding and marketing of all public transportation services available should be enhanced • Consider one District of Muskoka Transit agency that would assume responsibility for long- distance and local transit/specialized transit services District-wide, including the existing systems in Bracebridge and Huntsville Phase 2 The District currently does not have a specific policy framework in place to guide community transportation programming. Part of this project requires TCN to draft a policy framework based on community priorities and best practices from similar municipalities, which will assist in articulating where, when, and how services would be provided. It would also include vision and mission statements, goals, objectives, service standards, and other policies, such as an accessibility policy and fare structures based on the recommended service delivery options. Based on the analysis and results of their research and extensive community engagement initiatives, TCN has evaluated various transportation service delivery options that would address the six key areas outlined above, including improvements to the Corridor 11 Bus service and options for transportation services in the District’s rural areas. Focus group participants and other individuals and stakeholders who have expressed interest in this transportation project have been invited to a focus group follow-up session the morning of February 20, 2020. Following the stakeholder meeting, Committee members will be invited to comment on the service delivery options at their regularly scheduled meeting on February 20, 2020. At both meetings TCN will present the results of the community engagement initiatives as well as the different transportation programs being considered and request feedback on the proposed concepts and routes. Next Steps Phase 3 TCN will summarize feedback from stakeholders and the CPS Committee in the Community Transportation Plan and will use the feedback to assist in formulating their final recommendations for transportation services in the District. This Plan would include a comprehensive five-year transit operating plan and preliminary budget estimates based on the recommended transportation programs. The report will be presented to the CPS Committee along with staff recommendations for coordinated, new, expanded, or altered transportation programming in the short (i.e. to the end of the Community Transportation Grant Funding time period) and longer terms. Staff also recognize that it would be beneficial to maintain open communication channels with key stakeholders and community groups to jointly identify challenges, opportunities, and actions needed to implement TCN’s Plan and help ensure Muskoka residents benefit from a seamless, sustainable transportation network. Staff will consider the most effective methods for accomplishing these objectives and include possible options in future recommendations to CPS Committee. In addition, staff are currently exploring potential additional funding opportunities through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund and will actively follow-up on other future opportunities as these are identified. Delivery of the final Community Transportation Plan is anticipated in late Spring of 2020. Page 3 Financial Considerations The budget for the consultant’s report is $59,865 plus HST, funded through the Community Transportation Grant allocation. Communications Completed and anticipated communications are summarized in the above sections of this report. The final Community Transportation Plan will also be posted on the Transportation page of the Engage Muskoka website and provided to focus group participants and other key stakeholders. Strategic Priorities Click on icons below to view strategies under each priority area: s. 5.1, 5.3, 5.9 Respectfully submitted, Original signed by Original signed by Jacquie Evans Samantha Hastings Transportation Network Coordinator Commissioner of Community and Planning Services Original signed by Summer Valentine Director of Planning Page 4 Appendix “I” Summary of Transportation Funding Sources Community Transportation Grant In May 2018, report CS-5-2018-3 first notified the former Community Services Committee that the submission to the Community Transportation Grant Program through