Consultant needed for Innisfil transit study, report says

Innisfil council should get more public input and hire a consultant to study transit options before deciding on a municipal bus system, town staff recommends.

The $76,000 cost would come from a Simcoe County grant and gambling revenues from Georgian Downs, a report says.

That report will go to council Feb. 18 for council’s consideration.

The town needs to hire a consultant to gather information to lay out the costs for the first five years of a public transit system, town engineer Andy Campbell said in his report.

“The planning of transit is complicated, costly and the implementation must be completed correctly to gain the support of the municipality and build ridership.”

A consultant would be paid about $65,000 to prepare a feasibility study that would include a detailed cost analysis, Campbell states.

Campbell also recommends a public consultation process that would include open house meetings and newspaper and social media advertising to promote an online survey. Costs for public input would be about $4,000.

Council could also consider hiring a pollster such as Environics Research or Ispsos Reid to get a statistically reliable sampling for an additional $25,000, Campbell adds.

About $7,000 would be used to call for transit proposals and manage the start up if council approves a transit plan.

A bus system would not be able to get on the road until sometime in 2016, the report states.

Councillors called for Campbell’s report during its Jan. 23 meeting, where they heard a proposal to loop Barrie buses through northeast Innisfil would cost about $381,000 a year and would add $22 to the average tax bill.