Transit Windsor Service Delivery Review

The City of Windsor has adopted a new Transit Master Plan, “More than Transit” and 2020 will provide an opportunity for some major implementation planning in addition to some early wins to improve transit service and attract more riders over the next eight years. With some service enhancements to the Sunday service in 2020, the Plan recognizes that the Transit Windsor service facility on North Service Rd is currently at capacity. Additional buses, fleet changes including smaller buses for industrial and residential areas, as well as larger articulated buses for main routes will require a change in how Transit Windsor services vehicles. It is imperative that a feasibility study be conducted on the Transit Windsor garage to plan and prepare for the growth of transit services in the City of Windsor, before any major service adjustments are implemented. This feasibility study, at a cost of approximately $250,000 will be funded through the 2019 Operating Budget Surplus.

The emissions reduction potential for Transit is calculated based on estimated ridership under the 25% modal split identified in the Active Transportation Master Plan and is included in the 60,000 tonnes reduction outlined above.

Electric Vehicles

The CEP aims to have 10% of light duty cars and trucks to be alternative fuel (or electric) by 2041. The very low emissions of Ontario’s electricity system and the lower cost relative to gasoline and diesel favour electrification of vehicles. Municipalities have limited capacity to influence the uptake of electric vehicles, however, there are some measures that can be taken to encourage electric vehicles including: increasing visibility of electric vehicles through adoption in the municipal fleet and installation of public charging stations.

In September 2019, the Corporation of the City of Windsor submitted an application to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)’s “Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program”. Of the $5M available, Windsor requested approximately 10 per cent ($500,000) to create 22 electric vehicle charging spaces strategically located at points of interest throughout the City. The results of the application are expected in February 2020.”

Building Efficiency Audit

The Efficiency Audit study will analyze and benchmark the energy performance on an approved development in the City of Windsor and determine how the development could have achieved higher energy performance under two scenarios (i.e. 20 % and 50 % below baseline or Ontario Building Code). The report will specifically identify energy conservation and demand reduction initiatives (ex. building orientation, solar controls, building envelope, daylight harvesting and high efficiency mechanical system) and low-carbon solutions (ex. rooftop solar, geo-exchange and air-source heat pumps) that could have been applied to reduce the energy intensity for these buildings. The study would also identify the cost and benefits of undertaking this type of analysis and may inform future energy policy and requirements for new development applications.