Municipalities sign on to study regional transportation

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This article was published 02/11/2022 (1452 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More municipalities are hopping on the train of sustainability as a Canadian company prepares to study the feasibility of regional transportation in the Southeast.

At least nine municipalities have committed $2,500 each for a feasibility study on regional transportation solutions in Southeast Manitoba, to be conducted by Eco-West Canada.

Eco-West Canada, a Manitoba-based organization focused on providing sustainable infrastructure, recently partnered with the RM of Piney to undertake the study together. Piney has recently been exploring transportation solutions for the municipality’s older population for medical appointments and other essential trips.

The RMs of Ritchot, La Broquerie, Stuartburn, Tache and Ste Anne are among some of the municipality’s who agreed to take part in the study. The Village of St Pierre and Town of Ste Anne also pitched in cash.

Paul Saindon, reeve of the RM of Ste Anne (before election results were available), said the study offers hope for a solution in light of an aging population who no longer drive and a younger generation weary of human-caused climate change.

“If done right I think it could work well for everyone doing anything,” Saindon said, adding the majority of the RM’s population commutes.

Saindon admitted transportation is a complex problem in the region given its sparse population and location to services but the RM is already doing their part in providing alternatives.

Ste Anne recently allocated a vacant lot at the site of the municipality’s Public Works building for park and ride services, a place for carpoolers to leave their vehicles instead of in precarious and potentially dangerous spots throughout the community. Saindon said he’s seen more cars left on service roads and highway shoulders amid increasing gas prices and wanted the RM to provide a safe solution.

“It starts with one grain of sand, but it will build to a decent amount of dirt after a while,” he said.

Connie Gamble, an independent consultant hired by the RM of Piney in 2020, told The Carillon via email the two parties recently joined forces to study transportation options instead of executing their projects independently. Eco-West Canada and Piney presented the initiative to interested municipalities at a meeting in September.

The RM of Montcalm was the only municipality to respond to inquires made by The Carillon saying they were not financially contributing to the study but did not answer why they declined to do so.

Gamble said a Rural Transit Solutions Fund planning grant for $50,000 was recently secured to continue work on the initiative. Discussions on next steps are ongoing.

– with files from Jordan Ross