Since being elected as your City Councillor three years ago, I have advocated addressing transit safety issues.
I have moved motions in council for specific reports and implemented actions to make the Winnipeg Transit system safe for everyone. All but one motion was opposed and ignored by the EPC members of the City Council. The motion to have a digital alert system was approved earlier this year.
I continue to receive calls from our residents and other residents in the city about safety., their personal experience with attacks on buses, and asking for immediate attention.
The City of Winnipeg wants to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into transit infrastructure, new buses, more heated transit shelters, and route changes. My concern is taking on all the debt for transit investments and not addressing the most significant issue, passenger and driver safety.
Today, I sent an official request (letter below) to Councillor Allard, the Mayor's appointee to the Standing Policy Committee responsible for transit. I asked him to call a special meeting of the committee to hear from delegations, representatives, stakeholder groups, and City Councillors on the issue of transit safety and help develop a policy to address the problem quickly.
Revenue losses in transit continue to impact the City of Winnipeg operations budget negatively. We must take real action now.