Comment 116126

By DanJelly (registered) | Posted January 18, 2016 at 16:11:48

Fascinating analysis, however there's one external factor that makes transit planning and expansion in Hamilton very complicated: The politics of amalgamation and area rating.

For example, a Binbrook bus is a non-starter, since it would mean a big tax hike for Binbrook residents, who don't currently pay a dime for transit. Even if there was an anchor built in Glanbrook, like say, the Maple Leaf and Canada Bread plants, our backwards funding system doesn't account for that and puts the financial burden on the residents at only one end of the transit trip.

A second example, there was a big fight just to get the 44-Rymal service upgraded even though it serves a small College and a business park(i.e. "job lands"). Why? Because it would have meant a tax hike for Ancaster residents (i.e. the people who wouldn't be using it). The service was improved in the end, but not to the levels requested.

I'd be curious to know if any other city area rates transit that way. It's a big problem.

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