Railway City Transit Plan for Growth

   

The City of St. Thomas, in partnership with Dillon Consulting Limited, is undertaking Railway City Transit Plan for Growth. Our goal is to deliver a vision and roadmap that will modernize, expand, and adapt the transit network to support the needs of our current residents and the community's planned growth and transformation.

Why We’re Doing This

St. Thomas is at a pivotal stage of growth. Significant investments, such as the PowerCo (Volkswagen) electric vehicle battery "gigafactory," are expected to create thousands of jobs, while the city's population is projected to nearly double to 80,000 by 2051.

As travel patterns evolve, our existing transit system must change to:

  • Support a growing economy by expanding service hours and geographic reach to underserved industrial lands. 

  • Address new residential demand in growing areas on the city's west side. 

  • Realign transit routes to provide more direct service to key destinations in the City.

  • Explore opportunities to connect to the broader region, including London.

  • Provide affordable and sustainable mobility for low-income residents, seniors, and students

  • Identify next steps to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet.

Project Scope

This study will explore how Railway City Transit can meet the diverse needs of residents, employers, and visitors. Key elements of the project include: 

  • Public Engagement: Engage the community to understand their needs and values so that the network is aligned with them. 

  • Network Redesign: Transition the transit network to provide more direct travel to key destinations, improve service levels and reach new growth areas. 

  • Regional Connections: Explore partnerships and inter-community transit links with London, Middlesex County, Elgin County, and Aylmer. 

  • Fleet Electrification: Develop a plan to transition to battery electric or hydrogen electric vehicle technologies. 

  • Technology & Fare Strategy: Review fare technology options and potential new pass programs for students and employees. 

  • Implementation & Finance: Create a 5, 10, and 25-year financial and staffing plan to guide the transition and deliver the service.

Project Timeline

Timing for key project milestones includes:

  • Project Start: Winter 2026 

  • Engagement Round 1: Spring 2026

  • Develop Transit Route and Service Options: Spring/Summer 2026

  • Engagement Round 2: Fall 2026

  • Final Transit Plan and Council Presentation: Winter 2027

How You Can Have Your Say

Community engagement is required to ensure that the final Transit Plan is reflective of the needs of existing and future customers. During the project, we will be:

  • Conducting Community and Employer Surveys to gather data on travel needs, 

  • Attending pop-up events at the St. Thomas Home Show, 

  • Hosting focus groups with transit operators, students, seniors, and accessibility advocates. 

Stay tuned for more details on upcoming events and the launch of our community survey!

City Project Contact:
Kevin De Leebeeck
[email protected]

Consultants Project Contact:
Dennis Kar
[email protected]