In what could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, officials from the towns of Halton Hills and Milton met at a truck yard on their border today (Sept. 8) to officially open a new transit route along Steeles Avenue.
The route runs between Milton and the Lisgar GO stations along Steeles Avenue and provides passengers with connections to three municipalities: Mississauga, Halton Hills and, of course, Milton. There will be roughly 15 stops along the route that will operate six days a week at 45-minute intervals. Along the route is one of Halton Hills’ most sought-after destinations, the Toronto Premium Outlets.
“We’ve been asked by our industries along Steeles Avenue [for this route]. One of the biggest issues [is] that we need public transit to get employees,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “We want to invest in our community, but there isn’t a transit system to bring employees to the industry.”
At Tuesday’s council meeting, the mayor and staff were authorized to execute a service agreement with the Town of Milton that lays out the sharing of responsibilities regarding the transit route. Some key responsibilities for Halton Hills include bus stop design and construction, upkeep and repair, and handling of the necessary bureaucracy. Milton is responsible for deployment of Milton transit buses and everything that entails.
A complex cost sharing arrangement has been established for the two municipalities. While Milton makes decisions on exact fares, Halton Hills is entitled to 50 per cent of the revenue gained from passengers. Milton will also receive payment from Halton Hills for 50 per cent of the operating costs. Milton will be required to share all necessary data to ensure every penny is well spent.
“It was a few years in the making because we had to get an agreement with Milton,” noted Bonnette.
ActiVan connections are also part of the route. ActiVan is Halton Hills’ successful accessible transit system for older adults and those with disabilities. It was factored into the development of the route in order to provide some Halton Hills residents with connections to Milton and Mississauga.
“So we do have a lot of riders who are utilizing our service right now that go into Milton,” said Deanna Locey, a transit supervisor at the Town of Halton Hills. “Our ridership is slowly increasing. We also go to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. This would allow for further, more convenient connections for specialized transit customers.”
For further details on the route, visit the Town of Halton Hills website.
