Mayor McIsaac has put a “Mayor’s Report” on Monday’s council agenda, for another vote. (Read the report here, starting on page 51).

We strongly oppose reducing transit service in Orillia. While saving taxpayer dollars is a noble goal, it should not come on the backs of the community that relies on Orillia Transit.

Transit cuts disproportionately hurt people hardest hit by inflation: low income, newcomers, seniors, youth, students, and workers. A $5.80 round trip is already too expensive for many already excluded from our public transit which operates mostly under-capacity. Affordable & accessible transit is no joke.

Further, improving public transit is essential to meeting our emissions reduction targets in our Climate Action Plan and creating a healthy, livable and affordable city.

Orillia Transit has seen investment and improvements in recent years resulting in increases in ridership. The more we improve transit, more will ride, inspiring further improvements. Consistent, frequent, reliable, affordable, safe service will build its reputation as a viable alternative to more costly and less sustainable modes of transit. Cuts to Orillia Transit without consultation sends the message to riders that the City is not on their side and transit is not a priority.

Fact Checking the Mayor’s Report:

• “The Transit Committee will have provided their comments and input on the proposed changes.” (p. 52). False: neither the transit committee nor the riders were consulted
• “There is no direct economic development impact” (p. 52). False: The report cited as background says “The transit system plays a valuable role in supporting economic development by providing safe and affordable transportation to areas of employment, commerce, and recreation.”
• “The recommendation included in this report is not specifically related to formal plans, the City of Orillia Policy Manual and/or guiding legislation.” (p. 53). False: It is integrally related to the 10-year Transit Capital Investment schedule which calls for regular investments into the transit system, as well as: the 2019 Multimodal Transportation Master Plan, the Active Transportation Plan, and the Climate Action Plan.

The Mayor’s Report also repeatedly calls Orillia Transit ‘a luxury’ that we can’t afford.

Cuts to transit services was not a campaign pledge during the Mayor’s campaign, or any publicly visible councilor’s campaign, or recommended in any previous staff or transit report. In fact, 7/9 members of Council completed our Green Orillia Municipal Election questionnaire, speaking favourably about public transit in their Question 12 answers, including Mayor McIsaac (view their responses here).

Ideas to improve Orillia Transit:

• Partner with agencies for a free bus pass for low income folks. All people under 18 ride for free.
• Pilot on-demand system to supplement existing routes and services, especially during off-peak and extended hours.
• Ensure transit changes are informed by riders. Incentivize regular feedback. A transit riders group to work alongside the transit advisory committee.
• INVEST in public transit to extend routes and services.

CALL TO ACTION

Public Transit is a Public Good.

Email your Mayor and Councilors to let them know that you want to see investments to Orillia Transit not cuts. CC clerk@orillia.ca to add your voice to the motion.

Orillia City Council emails (copy and paste):

clerks@orillia.ca
dmcisaac@orillia.ca
dcampbell@orillia.ca
wsmith@orillia.ca
rcipolla@orillia.ca
lleatherdale@orillia.ca
jczetwerzuk@orillia.ca
jfallis@orillia.ca
jdurnford@orillia.ca
tlauer@orillia.ca

The greenhouse is nearly 40 years old and is in a significant state of decline according to City staff: a leaking structure, a cracked foundation, failing mechanical equipment, and a non-functional venting system.

In 2015 Council approved a capital project of $1.25 million to demolish and reconstruct the building. An architectural firm was retained and a design for a new greenhouse that used the local Fishing Weirs as an inspiration for the form of the structure. The proposed design was described as a four-season attraction that would be both interactive and interpretive, exploring the natural, human and horticultural heritage of the site and providing interpretive signs, guided tours, educational programs and workshops for visitors.

However, when the project tender closed a couple of weeks ago, bids came in between $4.3 million and $8.2 million for the project.

The price was much higher than anticipated due to a number of factors, according to City staff: the highly custom building, the service requirements, the landscape works required, the amount of time that had passed since the design plans were created, and the impact of the C19 pandemic on the cost of construction.

Based on a capital budget shortage of over $3 million, council agreed to cancel the current project and approved $100,000 to fund a redesign of the greenhouse.

Our thoughts

It’s a shame that we don’t currently have a public-access community greenhouse with educational and cultural programming, nor do we have the political will to create one anytime soon. According to the staff report, no community consultation has occurred and none is planned in the proposed redesign. In fact, staff recommended to council to re-scope the project (translation: remove the public-access, educational component in favour of a closed production facility).

It’s important to note that the greenhouse was originally donated to the City of Orillia by Dr. W. Melville Seymour, D.D.S. and Mrs. Leona Seymour, who requested that the greenhouse be inscribed and dedicated to the people of Orillia and surrounding area. The use of the greenhouse as a closed production facility for City staff for decades does not seem to reflect their wishes for a peoples’ greenhouse.

Community growing initiatives in Orillia have been chronically underfunded and under resourced for decades. As population density in Orillia increases, public spaces to engage residents in growing and learning about plants and horticultural is crucial, and a community greenhouse provides us a year-round opportunity. We must re-envision our municipal horticulture to encourage residents to participate safely, joyfully and efficiently. Imagine what our city could look like and the benefits if we facilitated the participation of the hundreds (or thousands) of horticulturalists across our city?

What is the value of Orillia’s current horticultural program? The priority seems to be planting non native, annual, ornamental flowers and shrubs around the City, for purely aesthetic purposes.

The city may find significant savings (and beauty) by naturalizing the labour and resource intensive annual flower beds with native perennial plants that can also improve habitat, biodiversity and other ecological benefits. Through signage and community engagement these native plantings can help achieve the educational and cultural “landmarking” proposed in the 1.25 million dollar facility. In collaboration with Indigenous peoples, welcoming and celebrating native flora and fauna to our park(s) rather than spending taxpayer dollars to exclude them, could be another step towards reconciliation

Have your say!

If you agree, talk to your councillor and tell them you want to see a public horticulture program that is community engaged and prioritizes native, edible and medicinal plants that meets the needs of our city.

Orillia City Council emails:
dmcisaac@orillia.ca
dcampbell@orillia.ca
wsmith@orillia.ca
rcipolla@orillia.ca
lleatherdale@orillia.ca
jczetwerzuk@orillia.ca
jfallis@orillia.ca
jdurnford@orillia.ca
tlauer@orillia.ca

To read more details about the greenhouse, view the staff report here (starts on page 26).