Council OKs debate on clawing back some Winnipeg Transit Plus routes from private operator

A Winnipeg city council committee will debate returning some Winnipeg Transit Plus routes back to the public sector.

The transit service for persons with disabilities has been entirely contracted out to private operators since the late 1990s.

A motion introduced by Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) asks the innovation committee to considering bringing 30 per cent of Winnipeg Transit Plus back in house by June 30, 2022.

City councillors voted 12-4 in favour of Mayes's motion. The four opposed were Mayor Brian Bowman, Coun. Scott Gillingham, Coun. Shawn Nason and Coun. Kevin Klein.

Bowman said he opposed the idea primarily because the city is still in bargaining talks with the Amalgamated Transit Union. 

"I think now is not the best time. Council obviously felt otherwise," said Bowman.

The mayor said he looks forward to seeing how the debate over a private-public model at Winnipeg Transit Plus "evolves" at the innovation committee.

Coun. Shawn Nason, who sits on the innovation committee, said Thursday he looks forward to discussing Winnipeg Transit Plus and only objected to Mayes's motion because he found it too "prescriptive."

"We've got people that are in some pretty serious situations and we need to work hard, roll up our sleeves and get a much better product to serve the persons who depend on Transit Plus," he said.

Nason is open to bringing some of the service back in house. 

"If it makes sense for the people that we serve, then I would be behind it," he said.

The innovation committee is directed to consider bringing 30 per cent of the Winnipeg Transit Plus service back in house 30 days after the ratification of a new collective agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union.