The Blue Mountains council has approved $75,000 in additional funding for a transit agreement with the Town of Collingwood.
Council made the decision at a special committee of the whole budget meeting held on Jan. 14. The town currently has a transit agreement with Collingwood that sees a bus run along Highway 26 through Craigleith to the Village at Blue. In 2024, the town budgeted $100,000 for the transit service. The service is also supported by the Blue Mountain Village Association and Blue Mountain Resorts.
The agreement for the transit service recently expired and the town and Collingwood have been negotiating a new agreement. Ryan Gibbons, the town’s director of community services, explained that Collingwood has requested additional funding to cover terminal and administrative costs as well as costs of new specialized transit services being offered.
“This agreement has expired. We’re working on terms of a new agreement,” Gibbons explained, adding that the new proposed agreement would come to council for review and approval during the first half of 2025. “A significant majority of the riders are going to work at the Village.”
With the town facing a potential double-digit tax increase in 2025 (the budget meeting concluded with the proposed tax increase at 11.11 per cent) the request to spend an additional $75,000 on a Collingwood-based service generated questions and concerns from members of council.
However, after hearing staff’s explanation about how the transit service works and who uses it from the town, council voted 6-1 to include the $75,000 request in the 2025 budget. Coun. June Porter was the lone opposing vote.
“This isn’t a frill. This is crucially essential for people who do not own vehicles,” said Mayor Andrea Matrosovs.
Coun. Paula Hope said the service is an important lifeline for businesses in the village area.
“We know labour is a critical issue,” said Hope. “I don’t want to do anything to interrupt what is going on.”
The decision on the funding is not final as it was made during a committee of the whole meeting. It will have to come to council for final approval as part of the overall 2025 budget package.
