Council Highlights - November 23, 2020

Orangeville Transit transfer point undecided – Council heard several delegations requesting that the Orangeville Transit transfer point not be located on Broadway. On April 22nd of this year, based on a recommendation by the Orangeville Transit Task Force, Council had voted to establish the transfer point for Orangeville Transit buses on both sides of Broadway between First Street and John Street. Following public concerns about safety, on October 19 Council voted to put the location of the transit transfer terminal on hold until a safety study was presented to Council.

A staff report was presented which outlined the results of a safety study conducted by IBI Group. The study identified several road user and pedestrian safety issues and made recommendations to mitigate those issues.

With a narrow margin, Council voted to reverse its decision to locate the transfer point on Broadway.

Dufferin County housing needs – Anna McGregor, Director of Community Services provided an overview of the current housing situation within Dufferin County and the need for increased affordable housing.

Grey Transit route system – Council heard a presentation by Stephanie Stewart, Manager of Community Transportation, Grey County, about the new Grey Transit Route system pilot program. One of the new routes carries passengers from Owen Sound to Orangeville, stopping at the Go bus terminal at the Orangeville Mall, as well as the transit transfer point on 4^th Street. The pilot program began September 14 with free fares, and a total of 118 riders travelled the route to Orangeville. Fares began to be collected on November 1. A one-way adult ticket costs $5.

Town’s electric vehicle fleet transition – Council received a report from Infrastructure Services regarding transitioning the Town’s fleet to electric vehicles. Earlier this year, the Town partnered with Dufferin County on a funding application for the installation of EV charging stations for fleet vehicle use through the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The Town proposed three dual level-2 charging stations – six total connectors for fleet vehicle usage. To make use of the EV charging stations, staff have included the purchase of EVs in the draft 2021 capital budget forecast. The six cars that are used by Building, By-law and Transportation & Development staff are currently scheduled for replacement in 2022. The staff report included an overview of the requirements, costs and potential benefits that would come with transitioning the Town’s corporate fleet to EVs.