1 Report to/Rapport au : Transit Commission Commission du transport en commun July 3, 2013 3 juillet 2013 Submitted by/Soumis par: Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager, City Operations Directeur municipale adjointe, Opérations municipales Contact Person/Personne ressource: John Manconi, General Manager, Transit Services Directeur général, Services du transport en commun 613-842-3636 x2111, [email protected] CITY WIDE / À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE Ref N°: ACS2013-COS-TRA-0015 SUBJECT: EQUITY AND INCLUSION LENS REVIEW OF SEPTEMBER 2011 ROUTE CHANGES OBJET : EXAMEN DANS L’OPTIQUE D’ÉQUITÉ ET D’INCLUSION DES MODIFICATIONS AUX CIRCUITS DE SEPTEMBRE 2011 REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS That the Transit Commission approve: 1. The recommended application of the Equity and Inclusion Lens to Transit Services, as outlined in this report; and, 2. The amendments to the Evaluation of Possible Route Changes and Consultation on Proposed Route Changes service standards policies, as detailed in Document 5 and outlined in this report. RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT Que la Commission du transport en commun approuve : 1. la mise en œuvre recommandée de l’Optique d’équité et d’inclusion dans les services de transport en commun, comme il est exposé dans le présent rapport; 2. les modifications aux politiques sur les normes de service intitulées Évaluation des modifications possibles aux circuits et Consultation 2 concernant les modifications aux circuits proposées, comme il est expliqué en détail dans le document 5 et exposé dans le présent rapport. BACKGROUND On April 20, 2011, the Transit Commission approved changes to a number of bus routes across the system. As part of that decision, the Commission also adopted the following motion: That OC Transpo staff report back to the Commission prior to the implementation of route changes in September on what impact studies will be undertaken on the impact of the changes to bus routes that would address the concerns of various groups within the City and deal with the following issues: a. That OC Transpo conduct an impact study within 6 months of the bus route changes in order to measure the impact on ridership, in term of the number of riders, safety and accessibility taking into account the potential barriers faced by specific populations. b. That OC Transpo utilize the City of Ottawa Equity and Inclusion Lens to assist in assessing the impact on specific populations who may face barriers, for example: immigrants, low-income residents, youth, seniors, women, Aboriginal, people living with disabilities and rural residents. The Equity and Inclusion Lens is a practical tool developed in 2009 by the City for All Women Initiative in collaboration with the City of Ottawa. Its creation was the result of a partnership grant between the City and Status of Women Canada. (See Document 1). The Lens identifies 11 groups at risk of exclusion due to systemic barriers: seniors, persons with disabilities, people living in poverty, women, immigrants, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, Francophones, persons who are GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans), rural residents, and youth. Systemic barriers are defined as the obstacles that exclude groups or communities from full participation and benefits in social, economic and political life. They may be hidden or unintentional, but are built into the way society works, and can be reinforced by existing policies and practices. As a complete package, the Lens assists City staff in understanding and responding to the needs and aspirations of Ottawa’s increasingly diverse population. Using it can help: Generate better solutions by incorporating a diversity of perspectives, and recognizing and engaging the skills, experience and knowledge of all our residents; Develop policies, programs and services that address systemic barriers and promote inclusion; Create a more positive and respectful work environment; and Achieve greater customer satisfaction. 3 DISCUSSION Review of September 2011 Route Changes through the Equity and Inclusion Lens Between the time that the initial recommendations for route changes were presented in March 2011 and the final recommendations in April 2011, staff conducted extensive public consultations. The level of public engagement in these consultations was significant. Approximately 1,100 people attended the open houses, 6,500 comments were submitted, and 16 petitions were received with a total of 4,102 signatures. In addition, staff attended advisory committee meetings, met with stakeholder groups, and participated in several public meetings organized by various Councillors. Many of the recommendations were altered to take into account the feedback that had been provided, and these amendments reduced the impact of the route changes in many ways, such as: better off-peak transit access for seniors; access to institutions including schools, hospitals, places of worship and specific workplaces; and modified hours of service to provide trips after work or school in the evenings at key hubs. Then, following the direction of the Commission, consultations were conducted from March to August 2012 with groups and individuals representing groups identified in the Lens (See Document 2.). The emphasis of these consultations was on gathering a more in-depth understanding of the manner in which the changes affected the lives of individuals and the 11 Lens groups. Most consultations were in the form of town hall meetings and focus groups with specific community, advocacy and advisory groups, but there were also one-on-one interviews with individual customers personally affected by the route changes. While the Lens lists 11 groups, individuals do not always fall neatly within just one group. In fact, during this review, it was far more often the case that individuals belonging to one group also belonged in others. The feedback received during the consultations indicated that the impact was felt particularly by individuals from a number of the Lens groups. The study did not obtain reliable or accurate data to quantify the number of riders who may have been directly affected by the route changes, however it did obtain valuable qualitative input from people who were directly affected and who were able to identify their concerns through the Lens. Staff recommend applying the Lens in future business processes as it is a crucial tool to ensure that all customers are fully considered in all relevant aspects of the Transit Department’s work. Document 3 of this report provides a full description of the results of the consultations. The main points raised were: Seniors – The key impacts for seniors were increases in walking and travel distances, and an increased sense of isolation outside of peak-service hours. Persons with disabilities – The key impacts for persons with disabilities, specifically those with physical disabilities, were increased walking and travel distances, and reduced access. 4 People living in poverty – The key impacts for people living in poverty was reduced choice and reduced access for those with limited or no other transportation options. Women – The key impacts for women centred on safety and the additional burden of changes to the customer experience as it pertained to their family responsibilities. Immigrants and Visible Minorities – The key impacts for immigrants and visible minorities were similar to those outlined for low-income residents and women, including reduced choice for those with limited or no other transportation options, reduced access to the community and its amenities as it pertains to family responsibilities, and reduced sense of safety and security. An additional impact was confusion as it related to communicating route changes to customers whose first language was neither English nor French. Youth – The key impacts for youth were reduced access for those with limited or no other transportation options, and reduced choice since they are more likely to use off-peak service. Most of these key impacts were identified by staff or by public delegations when the route changes were originally presented to Transit Commission in March and April 2011. In other words, the consultations and the study did not identify any travel impacts on customers that had not been considered by the Commission at the time the September 2011 route changes were being approved. There were, however, three additional points that were not explicitly considered by the Commission and that were identified through this work. They were: 1) an increased sense of isolation, 2) a reduced sense of safety and security for customers as a result of longer walking distances and additional transfers, and 3) confusion related to the implementation of the route changes for customers who speak neither English nor French. In conclusion, the study of the key impacts of the 2011 route changes demonstrates an intersection of issues and experiences between the 11 Lens groups (as shown in the chart below). Key impacts of 2011 route changes identified in reports or public consultations Impacts Groups most affected Identified* A B C Increased walking distances and Seniors, Persons with Yes Yes Yes times disabilities, and Persons living in poverty Increased passenger volume on Seniors, Persons with Yes Yes Yes some routes (crowding) disabilities, Persons living in poverty and Women Increased number of transfers Seniors, Persons with Yes Yes Yes disabilities, Persons living in poverty, and Women Reduced off-peak/hours of service Seniors, Persons living in Yes Yes Yes poverty, Women,