Transit revs up Ward 1 election debate

Candidates talk bus stops, micro-transit, accessibility and LRT development

A packed race for Ward 1 councillor is also stuffed with interesting and occasionally controversial ideas to improve Hamilton’s beleaguered transit system.

A candidate debate organized by the McMaster Student Union Tuesday unsurprisingly featured plenty of questions on transit and the city’s much-criticized bus service.

The HSR has only recently battled back from a no-show bus crisis and the busy B-line corridor that serves thousands of students sometimes records 400 incidents a month of full buses whizzing by transit stops.

The west city ward boasts 13 candidates and is a wide-open race thanks to outgoing Coun. Aidan Johnson’s decision not to run again. A majority of those candidates are in favour of Hamilton’s planned $1-billion, provincially funded LRT — but that doesn’t mean they don’t have other ideas about how to rev up city bus service.

Sophie Geffros, a McMaster University researcher who has made transit and accessibility highlights of her campaign, earned the loudest cheers when she asked students to “make some noise” if they’ve ever watched a full bus whiz by their transit stop.

Geffros is calling for more sustainable HSR funding, public consultation on more and safer bus stops, and council insistence on a percentage of affordable housing in new LRT-corridor developments.

Maureen Wilson pitched the idea of a “gender lens” for transit planning, using as examples safer, better lit and more accessible bus stops. The suggestion comes as a coalition of shelters and women’s’ organizations call on candidates city-wide to endorse such a lens for more budget and planning decisions.

Jason Allen, a director with the Canadian Urban Transit Association, talked about the potential to use “micro-transit” or Uber-like short trips to deal with underused transit routes, help connect people to the planned LRT or get them from the corridor to their final destination.

The general support for LRT in the room meant more than one candidate ended up arguing with anti-project crusader Carol Lazich.

The ward’s only anti-LRT candidate variously suggested the light rail line would “eliminate” the B-line, be “privately owned like (Highway) 407” and would run afoul of provincial disability access laws.

Geffros jumped in to point out the city’s disability advisory committee “universally endorsed” LRT, which is expected to create more room and make access easier for wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Maureen Wilson pointed out the contract-run LRT line would still be owned by the province, much like GO Transit. “It is a part of our public transit system,” she said.

Allen echoed the outgoing Ward 1 councillor, Johnson, who often argued inevitable challenges with the LRT should not outweigh the public benefit that supporters expect for transit users, economic development and the environment.

“We can’t let perfect be the enemy of good,” he said.

To see surveys collected from all Ward 1 candidates, visit our election website on thespec.com.