LRT service cuts spark anger among riders, councilors

Two major service reductions announced last week to Ottawa’s LRT service have left transit riders and city councilors feeling some strong emotions.

Last Monday, OC Transpo announced that as of Aug. 26, trains on the Confederation Line would run every 10 minutes from 9 am and 3 pm

Then on Friday, a memo to council confirmed that change would be accompanied by an evening reduction in service, with trains also running every 10 minutes from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm

The changes would double the current length of time riders wait for Confederation Line trains during what the agency describes as “off-peak” hours.

OC Transpo said the Aug. 26 start date should give riders — including students returning to class and federal workers heading back to the office more frequently — enough time to prepare.

Vansh Sharma makes several transfers to get to both Algonquin College and work in downtown Ottawa and fears the impact the reductions will have on their commute.

“It’s not about five or 10 minutes,” Sharma said, adding that a 10-minute wait for the train comes on top of waiting for the bus — which can often take 30 minutes.

Robert McBryde doesn’t have a car, so he relies on public transit. He said he was disappointed after moving to Ottawa after living in places like Dijon, France, that have a bustling transit system.

“In Ottawa it’s been very sad,” he said. “It’s been heartbreaking for us as public transit enthusiasts to see these problems.”

Small changes like scheduling cuts can contribute to what some call a “transit death spiral,” McBryde said. They can deter a few riders from using transit here and there, he said, leading to significantly reduced ridership over time.

“The fewer trains there are, the fewer riders there’ll be and it’s just going to deteriorate,” McBryde said. “The system in Ottawa is appalling anyway.”

OC Transpo said Confederation Line trains are often less than half full during off-peak times. (CBC)

‘A concerning thing’

Independent transit and data research consultant Willem Klumpenhouwer told CBC that service reductions, in addition to delays and other issues, can erode rider trust.

“Less service is always a concerning thing,” Klumpenhouwer said.

One thing that’s worked for Canadian transit systems that want to boost ridership, he said, is increasing frequency across fewer routes.

But for transit rider Roger Ferland, OC Transpo’s changes seem to make sense.

“If it’s based on economics… then they should do it,” Ferland said. “Instead of running trains that (won’t be) even half full.”

OC Transpo said if demand increases, it will increase the frequency of trains again.

After the changes were announced, Coun. Jeff Leiper wrote in a newsletter to constituents that he and some of his colleagues would be ‘pushing back’ when council next meets. (Giacomo Panico/CBC)

Councilors could be ‘pushing back’

At city hall, councilors are gearing up to discuss the changes when meetings resume.

“There is no sugar-coating that our transit service faces a major funding gap,” wrote Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper in a newsletter to constituents Friday.

“I believe at least some of my colleagues will be joining me in pushing back at this when next council meets.”

His colleague, College Coun. Laine Johnson, published a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday while she was on vacation, stating she was “incredibly angry” about the cuts.

The city’s light rail subcommittee does not meet again until Aug. 29, three days after the changes are set to go into effect.

Regular council meetings aren’t expected to resume until September.