Last December The Current published an editorial entitled The case for public transit. In it, we highlighted a Rural Ontario Institute report which pointed to the “aging demographic of rural Ontario” as identifying an increasing need “for affordable and accessible transportation services.” We ended by noting that MV has one of the highest proportions of elderly residents in the Province and expressed the hope that council would “take a hard look at this issue.” Click HERE to read the full article.
Following publication of the article, The Current was contacted by Craig Kelley, Director of Development and Property for the County of Renfrew. He told The Current that Renfrew “is currently investigating ride-share options.”
Recently The Current contacted Kelley for an update. This was prompted by a media release dated October 7 in which MPP John Yakabuski announced that the Ontario government was providing $483,000 to support public transit improvements in Petawawa. Yakabuski said, “Our government’s investment of $483,000 means greater accessibility for seniors, people with disabilities and individuals with low-income.”
Although Petawawa has a greater population base than Madawaska Valley, the 2016 census statistics disclose that of that population only 6.5 percent were aged 65 or over. Contrast this with Madawaska Valley where the same census figures reveal that the percentage is 36.6 percent.
Kelley said in his response, “We have now developed a partnership with RideShark (www.rideshark.com) to bring “ride sharing” opportunities to Renfrew County. We’re awaiting details on some funding opportunities that will make this an even more attractive option for seniors. We haven’t launched the program just yet, but will be in the very near future.”
RideShark describes itself as “a globally recognized and market-leading enterprise commuter management solution for all government, corporate and campus organizations.” It offers “commute management systems” that can help residents get to work or travel within their community. Kelley referred The Current to Alastair Baird, Manager of Economic Development Services and Tourism for the County of Renfrew, for more information on the project.
In discussing the RideShark proposal, Baird said, “This system has worked in rural areas, and with challenges.” He went on to say, “I wouldn’t call it transit – it starts as a car pooling system, but it has some flexibility to be a little bit better. A lot of these things are only workable when you use technology.” He said that it is deployed in rural areas, mentioning examples including the entire province of Quebec, as well as the Yukon, Manitoba, Iowa and New Zealand. He told The Current he hoped for a funding announcement “very soon.”
As further details become available, The Current will publish them.
Photo at top Hilary Brandt, Wanderlust
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Car pooling is something we can look after for ourselves (see Killaloe Ride Share etc on Facebook) but for elderly people a drive to Ottawa, a days shopping and drive home is just too much, to the point of dangerous. What we need is public transport to Ottawa that goes further than Pembroke. I know you can get a bus to Pembroke arriving at 23:00hrs with a bus into Ottawa at 5:30am the next day but this could only seem convenient to a Greyhound planner. Is it not possible for MV Council to put pressure on the bus company to reinstate the service?