Public transit gets thumbs up in survey

The idea of public transit received plenty of local support in a survey hosted by the South East Equity Coalition at a booth at Summer in the City.

Val Hiebert, author of the survey and results and member of the Public Transit Working Group, said they wanted to give people a chance to express their views.

Over 1,250 people did just that, filling out a two-question survey with 99 percent in support of public transit.

While a 2023 survey targeted to people who use human services in Steinbach demonstrated a clear need, Hiebert said this one was different.

“We really weren’t sure what was going to happen,” she said. “This was sort of a wide-open, let’s just see what the general public think.”

Hiebert said they’re aware that the booth might be more attractive to supporters of transit than those who were opposed, but said they took care to engage as many people as they could and keep the questions neutral.

People at the booth were greeted with a statement that said “Have your say” and asked, “Do you think Steinbach should have public transit?”

“We tried to keep our engagement with people neutral so that we would get the “No’s”,” she said.

If respondents indicated approval they were asked to check off reasons from a prepared list that included access to employment, medical needs, extra-curricular family programming, increase quality of life for those with limited finances, reduce fossil fuel emissions, avoid traffic congestion and allow all Steinbach residents access to full community life.

Those that opposed public transit were asked to write in a reason why.

While eight people of the 1,257 respondents expressed their opposition due to cost, assertions that this is a “driving community” without proper infrastructure for transit, a fear it would worsen traffic, or the fact it would not help them, an additional 15 to 20 people simply said they were against it and refused to fill out a survey.

Those in favour highlighted the need for those with lower income, as a way to lower traffic volumes, a safe alternative to walking, and a way for families with only one car to be able to access services.

Many of those in favour also stressed the need for it to be fiscally responsible.

About 90 percent of respondents were from Steinbach with seven to eight percent from communities within 10 km of Steinbach.

Hiebert said because much of their committee work is done away from the public, it was good for the community to engage with the community.

“I think it was just psychologically good for us to have a moment of realizing how many and how much people want this,” she said.

They were also unprepared for how many people approached them to thank them for their work on this.

“That, I think, caught all of us off guard and it was really meaningful,” she said.

The results have been passed to city council, and Hiebert said they’re hoping council will express support for the basic concept, which then allows them to begin work on acquiring sponsorships and grants.

“It would just be great for the whole community to understand that we have vulnerable members in our community that we don’t really see, who really need this for quality of life,” she said. “There’s lots of people who can’t actually afford a taxi.”