Report to/Rapport au:

Transit Committee

Comité du transport en commun

03 April 2007/le 03 avril 2007

Submitted by/Soumis par: Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/Directrice municipale adjointe

Planning, Transit and the Environment/Urbanisme, Transport en commun et Environnement

Contact/Personne-ressource: A. Mercier, Director / Directeur, Transit Services/Services du transport en commun

(613) 842-3636 ext. 2271, alain.mercier@ottawa.ca

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Transit Committee receive this report for information.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité du transport en commun prenne connaissance du présent rapport à titre d’information.

BACKGROUND

At the August 16, 2006 Transportation Committee meeting, a joint report was submitted by the Accessibility Advisory and  Seniors Advisory Committees recommending that staff be directed to investigate and develop solutions to a number of areas of Para Transpo which they believed to be chronic problems. 

Staff was directed to investigate options to improve the services delivered by Para Transpo and to bring forward the budget implications of these service improvements to Para Transpo to the 2007 budget process.

A report was submitted to Committee on January 31, 2007, which contained the service improvement options that would have budget implications.  Those recommended improvements included the introduction of a Taxi Voucher Pilot Project as well as a 1.5 percent increase in the Para Transpo budget to increase service.  These recommended service improvements were approved as part of the 2007 budget process.

This report  provides information on some other solutions, which will be implemented throughout 2007, which do not require 2007 budget approvals.

DISCUSSION

The strategy to improve accessibility to transit service for people with disabilities has been to attract as many potential Para Transpo customers as possible to regular transit.  This has been done through initiatives such as the implementation of low-floor fully accessible buses (now more than two-thirds of the transit fleet), accessible transit facilities, travel training and the introduction of the Community Pass.

However, even with these initiatives, Para Transpo resources over the last ten years have been insufficient to meet the transportation demands of its customers.  In fact, there have been virtually no increases in Para Transpo service since 1994.

Two proposals were included in the 2007 budget to provide additional capacity for Para Transpo customer trips: one was a straight increase in capacity of 10,000 customer trips in 2007; and, the other was a taxi voucher program that would allow Para Transpo customers to use taxi service at a price discount of 40 percent, which would be covered by the City.  These initiatives were approved as part of the 2007 budget, and are therefore not covered in this report.  However, they will expand the transportation service available to people who cannot make use of regular bus service.

Staff, within the attached August 2006 report, provided an initial response to the concerns listed in the joint report submitted by the Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Seniors Advisory Committee.  Since then, staff have further investigated these concerns and have developed a service improvement plan which will be implemented throughout 2007.

Customer input was obtained on August 22 and November 1, 2006 at two major Transportation Forums: one held at the Good Companions Centre; and, the other at the offices of the Council on Aging.  As well, a number of Para Transpo customers have provided input directly to Transit staff. 

The Seniors and Accessibility Advisory Committees were provided with information on the improvement solutions described in this report and on March 21, 2007 the Seniors Advisory Committee approved a motion formally supporting these solutions.

Main Problems Identified by the Advisory Committees and Through Customer Input

a)      On a daily basis up to one hundred Para Transpo customers are being refused service and many others customers have likely given up calling because of the likelihood of being refused.

b)      Customers (especially ambulatory customers) have difficulty getting through the phone lines to book their transportation, as phones are sometimes busy for over an hour.  When an ambulatory customer does get through to talk to a calltaker, there is often no service remaining.  This is a concern no matter what the trip purpose, but the main concern expressed by Para Transpo customers is that some medical trips requested by ambulatory customers are not being accommodated.

c)      Although average customer wait time is approximately 15 minutes, 15 to 30 minute waits are common and on an average day, at least five percent of customers wait more than 30 minutes for their Para Transpo vehicle.

Solutions Scheduled to be Implemented in 2007

a)      The measures to expand the capacity of the Para Transpo system, which were approved as part of the 2007 budget, are key to reducing trip refusals and improving customer access to the Para Transpo reservation lines.  In addition, staff will look for efficiencies in service delivery to increase the number of trips that can be provided with the existing resources using the GPS data that has recently become available.

b)      Para Transpo will be upgrading to a more advanced telephone reservation system which will enable Para Transpo to expand the incoming call capacity from the current 14 lines to 24 lines.  The installation of a new messaging system will also increase the number of announcement paths, which provides the hold-message, when all the reservation agents are busy.  This will reduce the time it takes for customers to reach Para Transpo’s telephone reservation lines during the busy periods. (Planned implementation date: May 2007)

c)      Para Transpo will be implementing an Interactive Telephone Voice Response (IVR) system, which will provide customers with another method of contacting Para Transpo when they want to cancel their transportation or obtain information on the trips that they have booked. (Planned implementation date: June 2007)

d)      Para Transpo will be investigating the possibility of expanding the IVR system to include customer trip bookings. (Report back to Committee in Fall 2007 prior to 2008 budget process)

e)         Para Transpo will be investigating the possibility of using the internet to provide Para Transpo customers with another method of contacting Para Transpo when they want to cancel their trips, receive updated information on the transportation that they have booked or book some of their trips. (Report back to Committee in the Fall 2007 prior to 2008 budget process).

f)    Para Transpo will be implementing an advance call-in period for Para Transpo customers wanting to reserve transportation to see a health care professional. This will likely reduce the number of customer trip refusals to medical appointments and, by having different call-in periods for different trip types, it will also reduce the time it takes clients to reach the Para Transpo reservation lines.

However, as the number of customers taking advantage of the advance call-in period for medical trips increases, the resources available for other trip purposes will decrease.  Without other measures that will increase the availability of transportation, this change may actually result in an increase in the overall number of trip refusals.

This new arrangement will therefore be implemented at the same time as the Taxi Voucher pilot project, which will provide Para Transpo customers with an additional transportation option.  It will also be implemented for a three-month trial period to allow for a review of the affects that this change will have on Para Transpo customers.  (Planned implementation date: July 2007)

g)      Para Transpo will be implementing a pilot project in 2007, which would involve scheduling a limited number of Para Transpo vehicles in specific geographic areas of the City.  This service could provide a higher quality of service to customers willing to take short trips within the geographic area and would also be available to transfer Para Transpo customers between their home and the closest Transitway station where customers could then continue their trip on accessible conventional transit.  A system will be put in place, which will ensure that customers who use both Para Transpo and conventional transit are required to pay no more than one fare. (Planned implementation date: June 2007)

h)      Para Transpo will be reducing customer scheduled wait times by scheduling 95 percent of its customers to be picked up within the first 20 minutes of the advertised 30-minute pick-up window.  This should reduce the average wait times of our customers.  However, it may also result in a small increase in customer trip refusals.  (Planned implementation date: May 2007)

i)        Para Transpo will be increasing the number of accessible taxis used to deliver Para Transpo services.  This will increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles within the Para Transpo fleet, which will provide more effective scheduling options.  This will reduce average wait times for Para Transpo customers.

j)        Para Transpo customers can currently book “regular bookings”.  However, to be classified as a regular booking, the trip must occur every week, on the same day, at same times, to/from the same locations.  This is not convenient for some customers who may need “regular bookings” that do not always occur every week.  To provide Para Transpo customers with more trip reservation options, Para Transpo will be implementing a more flexible regular booking process, which will permit different combinations of regular bookings than just selecting a day of the week.  For example, customers will be able to set up a “regular booking“ ride for every other Thursday or the last Monday of each month.  This change will not only provide our customers with more booking options, but it should also result in fewer customer cancellations.  It may also reduce the time it takes for customers to reach Para Transpo’s telephone reservation lines.  The current version of the scheduling software is not set up to handle this change.  However, the next scheduling software upgrade will have this capability.  (Planned implementation date: November 2007).

Accessible Taxi Service

Accessible Taxi Service

As of this date, there are 61 accessible taxicabs operating in the City of Ottawa with an additional four scheduled to come into service by mid-April 2007.  Of this number, 14 are currently under contract to Para Transpo.  In 2008, 40 more accessible plates will be released, bringing the total to 105.  By 2010 there will be a total of 185 accessible taxicabs operating in the City of Ottawa.

The accessible taxicabs are working for four different taxicab brokers across the city and a number of them are at the curb at the Ottawa International Airport in order to ensure that adequate accessible taxicab service is provided to the travelling public.

Effective March 2008, all accessible taxicabs will be required to be equipped with a Global Positioning System that is approved by the City and is capable of tracking and locating the position of the accessible taxicab.  This technology is intended to provide enhanced safety features for both the driver and the passenger as well as provide both the taxicab broker and the City with the ability to ensure that disabled clients are being served on a priority basis.  As well, Council has directed By-law and Regulatory Services to come back with a report in June 2007 on how best to improve the reliability of on-demand accessible taxicab service in the City of Ottawa.

CONSULTATION/PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

Customer input was obtained on August 22 and November 1, 2006 at two major Transportation Forums.  The Ottawa Seniors Action Network held one Para Transpo Forum at the Good Companions Centre, and the Council on Aging held the other Transportation forum at their headquarters on Kilborn Avenue.  A number of Para Transpo customers have also provided input directly to City staff.

The Seniors and Accessibility Advisory Committees were provided with information on the improvement solutions described in this report and on March 21, 2007 the Seniors Advisory Committee approved a motion formally supporting these solutions.

In developing these service improvement solutions, information was obtained from other transportation service providers. 

Further discussions will be held with both the Accessibility Advisory and the Seniors Advisory Committees throughout 2007 as these changes are implemented.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications associated with this report.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 – August 2006 Report to Transportation Committee

DISPOSITION

Para Transpo staff will proceed with the improvement plan as described in this report.

AUGUST 2006 REPORT TO TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE                  DOCUMENT 1

Report to/Rapport au:

Transportation Committee/Comité Des Transports

and Council / et au Conseil

July 18 2006 / le 18 juillet 2006

Submitted by/Soumis par:

Chair, Accessibility Advisory Committee

Président, Comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité

and / et

Chair, Seniors Advisory Committee

Présidente, Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées

Contact Person/Personne-ressource:  Carole Langford,

Advisory Committee Coordinator/Coordonnatrice de comités consultatifs

Corporate Services Department/Services généraux

(613) 580-2424 x28934, Carole.Langford@ottawa.ca

REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Seniors Advisory Committee recommend the Transportation Committee recommend Council direct staff to:

1.   Thoroughly investigate and develop solutions to the chronic Para Transpo issues below:

• The service is not reliable or dependable enough to use for work related travel;
• A regular booking or even an occasional booking for recreation activities is next to impossible and when it happens individuals often have to wait two to three hours for pickup;
• The requirement to book 24 hours in advance does not allow for any spontaneity;

·        The phone booking system is a built-in barrier.  People cannot get through, get discouraged and give up.  The option of booking online as is done in other cities should be available;

• A booking does not guarantee that the service will arrive on time and in fact Para Transpo often arrives late for pickups at both ends of the ride;
• After 9 a.m. on any given day, the system is already often booked for the next day;
• Inefficient trip planning leads to rides which should only take 20 minutes to last for up to one and a half hours.

2.   Consider potential solutions that are outside of the traditionally defined parallel service (door-to-door service by reservation such as Para Transpo), which might more closely resemble the regular bus service (regularly scheduled routes to popular or central destinations).

RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité consultatif sur l’accessibilité et le Comité consultatif sur les personnes âgées recommandent au Comité des transports de recommander au Conseil municipal d’enjoindre le personnel à :

1.      mener une enquête approfondie et proposer des solutions aux problèmes chroniques associés à Para Transpo :

·        le service n’est pas assez fiable pour que les usagers s’en servent pour se rendre au travail et en revenir;

• il est presque impossible de réserver le service selon un horaire régulier ou même de le réserver occasionnellement pour des activités récréatives, et quand le service est disponible, les usagers doivent souvent attendre de deux à trois heures avant que le véhicule ne se présente enfin;
• l’exigence selon laquelle les usagers doivent réserver un véhicule 24 heures à l’avance ne laisse place à aucune spontanéité;
• le système de réservation par téléphone constitue un obstacle en soi : souvent, les usagers ne réussissent pas à joindre un préposé, se découragent, puis raccrochent. Il est proposé d’offrir également un service de réservation en ligne comme le font d’autres villes;
• les réservations ne garantissent pas aux usagers que le véhicule sera à l’heure; en fait, le service Para Transpo est souvent en retard, et ce, à l’aller comme au retour;
• après 9 h, il n’est pas rare que le service soit déjà complet pour le jour suivant;
• en raison d’une mauvaise planification des trajets, les véhicules peuvent mettre jusqu’à une heure et demie pour se rendre à l’endroit voulu dans le cas de déplacements qui devraient normalement durer 20 minutes.

2.   envisager la mise en œuvre de solutions qui ne sont habituellement pas retenues pour des services de transport adapté (service à domicile sur réservation tel que Para Transpo), mais qui se rapprocheraient davantage du transport en commun ordinaire (parcours d’autobus prévus selon des horaires établis qui desservent des endroits populaires ou centraux.

BACKGROUND

The mandate of the Accessibility Advisory Committee is to develop an awareness and understanding of issues and concerns of the citizens of the City of Ottawa with disabilities, with a goal to improving the quality of life for those with disabilities.  The mandate of the Seniors Advisory Committee is to act as a liaison to enrich and enhance the lives of seniors in the City, identify barriers, form partnerships with the community, and act as a public forum for issues affecting seniors.  Advisory Committees prepare an annual report and workplan to implement objectives for the year.  One of the objectives of both the Accessibility and Seniors Advisory Committees is to meet and liaise with one another to discuss common issues, such as transportation.

The Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Seniors Advisory Committee held an initial joint meeting on 15 March 2006 to discuss issues that were of common interest to both committees.  Staff attended the meeting to provide advice and comments or respond to questions from members and the public on numerous matters, particularly transportation and Para Transpo issues.  Subsequently, both Committees agreed to meet a second time to provide resolutions and allow staff to provide background information pertaining to Para Transpo initiatives.

At a joint meeting held on 17 May 2006, the Accessibility and Seniors Advisory Committees considered and approved the foregoing Motion with respect to accessible transit in Ottawa for seniors and persons with disabilities set out in full below:

WHEREAS reliable, accessible public transportation has a significant impact on the quality of life for seniors and persons with a disability living in Ottawa;

WHEREAS serious public transportation problems for these individuals have been clearly identified, brought to the attention of the City on numerous occasions over the years and yet continue to exist;

WHEREAS the Seniors Advisory Committee and the Accessibility Advisory Committee are no longer prepared to accept financial or resource limitations as the standard rationale provided by the City for lack of action on these issues.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Ottawa thoroughly investigate and develop solutions to the Para Transpo issues detailed herein.

Chronic Para Transpo Issues:

·        The service isn't reliable or dependable enough to use for work related travel;

·        A regular booking or even an occasional booking for recreation activities is next to impossible and when it happens individuals often have to wait 2-3 hours for pickup;

·        The requirement to book 24 hours in advance does not allow for any spontaneity;

·        The phone booking system is a built-in barrier.  People can't get through, get discouraged and give up.  The option of booking online as is done in other cities should be available;

·        A booking does not guarantee that the service will arrive on time and in fact Para Transpo often arrives late for pickups at both ends of the ride;

·        After 9:00 a.m. on any given day, the system is already often fully booked for the next day;

·        Inefficient trip planning leads to rides which should only take 20 minutes to last for up to 1½ hour.

Furthermore, both the Accessibility and the Seniors Advisory Committee advise the City to consider potential solutions that are outside of the traditionally defined parallel service (door-to-door service by reservation such as Para Transpo), which might more closely resemble the regular bus service (regularly scheduled routes to popular or central destinations).

DISCUSSION

Para Transpo is the City of Ottawa’s door-to-door service for persons who are unable to use conventional transit services.  Client eligibility is at about 3,500 annual registrations, 60% are permanent registrations where 80% of the permanent customers are seniors and 32% have either a wheelchair or scooter.  The hours of service, geographic areas served and fare structure are similar to the conventional transit system.  Seniors and persons with disabilities must have reliable and accessible public transportation to enhance their quality of life.  Transportation issues are a major concern for both these groups with over 1500 customers scheduling up to 3000 shared ride trips per day.  Para Transpo service hours/levels and ridership have been virtually unchanged between 1995 and 2005, this compares to an 8% increase in service hours on the conventional transit system.  As a result, over the last 10 years, 4% to 6% of Para Transpo trip requests each year could not be accommodated.  The Committees acknowledge that increases in the City’s budget have been significant to offset inflation and contract costs, however lack of resources at the provincial and federal level do not acknowledge the increase in usage of this service.  The Committees are no longer prepared to accept financial or resource limitations as the standard rationale provided by the City for lack of action on this issue.  The strategy has been to attract as many Para Transpo customer trips as possible to regular transit through low-floor fully accessible buses, accessible facilities, travel training and community passes.  It is imperative that the City delivers a cost effective service by providing an annual budget to meet the needs of those who require Para Transpo.

Furthermore, a one-day advance booking reservation does not allow the customer any spontaneity and the timing should be extended.  In the past, many other municipalities handled a 2-week advance booking however; the no-show and cancellation rates were very high.  In addition, after 9:00 a.m. on any given day, Para Transpo phone system is often fully booked for the next day, creating inefficient trip planning for seniors and persons with disabilities.  The phone system has become a built-in barrier and staff should work with the telecom provider to obtain proper statistics on this barrier, specifically for calls that do not get answered, since these calls count as refusals.  Refusals can further harm the purpose and image of this service.  An option of booking online could be considered to improve the 24 hours pre-booking reservation issue.

The City is investigating the feasibility of a new transportation initiative (Para Transpo Taxi Script Pilot Project), which was presented by the Program Manager, Para Transpo.  The project would provide Para Transpo customers with the option of purchasing taxi-chits from the City at reduced prices.  These chits could then be used to purchase trips directly from participating taxi companies, therefore the Committees acknowledge that this initiative may provide some additional flexibility.  The current system for single unscheduled trips is one of the biggest concerns to seniors and persons with disabilities.  It requires a two to three hour wait time to receive the service.  Staff indicated that they are looking to improve the quality of service in the most cost-effective manner for Para Transpo customers as well as the taxpayers and will use that methodology to increase the availability of accessible cabs for other purposes within the City.

CONSULTATION

Public Works and Services Department, Community and Protective Services Department and the Corporate Services Department have been consulted and have submitted comments, which appear below:

PUBLIC WORKS AND SERVICES

After having reviewed the recommendations submitted by the Accessibility and Seniors Advisory Committees, Public Works and Services have the following comments.

The Department's strategy has been to attract as many Para Transpo customers as possible to regular transit through initiatives such as the implementation of low-floor fully accessible buses, accessible transit facilities, travel training and the introduction of the Community pass.

However even with these initiatives, Para Transpo resources over the last ten years have been insufficient to meet the transportation demands of its customers.  Without additional resources customer trip refusals will continue to exist on a daily basis.

The Department would welcome working with a sub-group of the Accessible Transit and Seniors Advisory Committee whose members are familiar with Para Transpo services, with the goal of improving the overall services offered by Para Transpo.  The Department will investigate and develop Para Transpo service improvement options for consideration of the Transportation Committee prior to the 2007 Budget discussions.

As for the specific motion passed by the Accessibility and Seniors Advisory Committees, a number of the items listed as "Chronic Para Transpo Issues", are in fact not chronic issues.  The Department provides the following initial response to these specific items.  A more detailed response will be provided as part of the service improvement options report that will be submitted to the Transportation Committee.

The service isn't reliable or dependable enough to use for work related travel;

Department response:

-Para Transpo transports between 200 and 300 clients to work every day.  With only a few exceptions, these clients arrive at work each day on time as per schedule.

A regular booking or even an occasional booking for recreation activities is next to impossible and when it happens, individuals often have to wait 2-3 hours for pickup;

 Department response:

-All regular bookings (including trips to recreational activities) are processed with no refusals of service.

-The majority of casual trip requests from clients using a wheelchair or scooter are processed between 07:00 and 09:00 each day with no trip refusals.

-On an average day, 94% to 96 % of Para Transpo customers are picked up on time within the advertised half hour pick-up window.  On only a very few occasions are wait times of 2-3 hours for pick-up required.

-There is generally a daily trip refusal rate of approximately 4% or 5% (50 to 70 clients).  However virtually all trip refusals occur when ambulatory customers try to book their casual trips (not regular bookings) beginning at 09:00.  The refusal rate for these ambulatory customers is usually 15% (50 to 70 clients).

The requirement to book 24 hours in advance does not allow for any spontaneity;

Department response:

-Customer-cancellations allow Para Transpo to provide a limited number of same day bookings (30 trips a day on average).

-We are also investigating the feasibility of operating a "taxi-script" pilot project in 2007.  Para Transpo customers would be able to purchase a limited number of taxi coupons at reduced rates.  They could then call any participating Taxi company directly whenever they want service.

 The phone booking system is a built-in barrier. People can't get through, get discouraged and give up. The option of booking online as is done in other cities should be available;

Department response:

-Service is delivered on a first-call first-serve basis and the demand for service exceeds the available resources.  Knowing that service will be booked by those who call in first causes up to 200 ambulatory customers to begin calling all at the same time beginning at 09:00. The phone lines are therefore very busy between 09:00 and 10:30. 

-Para Transpo is in the process of implementing an Interactive Voice Response System (IVR), which will give Para Transpo customers the ability to cancel and to find out information on their bookings without having to go through the Para Transpo reservation or cancellation lines.  This will free up some of the reservation telephone lines which will reduce wait times.

A booking does not guarantee that the service will arrive on time and in fact Para Transpo often arrives late for pickups at both ends of the ride;

Department response:

-Para Transpo, like most other specialized transit services in Canada, schedules service based on a half hour pick-up window.  In 2005, 94.4% of all Para Transpo customers were picked up on time within the half hour pick-up window.  In June 2006, 94.6% of customers were picked up within the advertised half hour window.

After 9:00 a.m. on any given day, the system is already often fully booked for the next day;

Department response:

-By 09:00 each day, up to 85% of the service has already been booked by regular bookings and by clients using a wheelchair or scooter. We will usually process 400 trips from ambulatory customers after 09:00 but by 9:30 there is generally no service remaining (Other than medical fit-ins). 

Inefficient trip planning leads to rides which should only take 20 minutes to last for up to 1 ½ hours.

Department response:

-On an average day, 65% of Para Transpo customers will be on board for 30 minutes or less and 98% of our customers will be on board for 60 minutes or less. Only very long trips and/or trips with many customers on board going to different locations will last more than 60 minutes which represents approximately 2 % of the total trips provided.

 Furthermore, both the Accessibility and the Seniors Advisory Committee advise the City to consider potential solutions that are outside of the traditionally defined parallel service (door-to-door service by reservation such as Para Transpo), which might more closely resemble the regular bus service (regularly scheduled routes to popular or central destinations).

Department response:

-Additional transportation options such as the one listed above will be fully investigated and options for improvements developed.

CORPORATE SERVICES

Corporate Services concurs with and supports comments from the Public Works and Services Department. Through the Corporate Interdepartmental Accessibility Steering Committee, we will continue to support and work with Public Works and Services on enhancing accessibility of transit services.

Access to public transit is essential for citizens to take advantage of and participate in all that the City of Ottawa has to offer. It is tied into Ottawa's 20/20 vision of becoming an "inclusive and caring society" and directly mirrors the City Corporate Plan to “make it easier and safer for citizens with disabilities to move about the city by bus, foot, car or wheelchair” (City Corporate Plan 2005, Opportunity Agenda).

Public Works and Services successfully implemented a number of initiatives to address service delivery.  For example, their initiative to encourage and support a significant number of riders to switch to the regular bus service has resulted in increased efficiency and enhanced service access. Further service enhancements will move the City closer to goals of increased accessibility and inclusion of Ottawa residents who have disabilities.

While much progress has been made to enhance accessibility within the regular public transit service, a parallel system will continue to be required for some individuals due to the continued presence of barriers that effectively impede access.

The provincially legislated Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) requires municipal transit services to be fully accessible by 2025. Specifics regarding standards and obligatory timeframes are anticipated for 2007.

COMMUNITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES

The Long Term Care Branch of Community and Protective Services supports accessible transit in Ottawa for seniors through the Seniors Agenda, which is one of 12 Priority Initiatives of the Community and Protective Services (CPS) Strategic Plan.  This initiative positions the City to address the issues of the rapidly aging population.  By the year 2020, more than one in six Ottawa residents will be over the age of 65. Projections indicate an increase of 100,000 seniors over the current 89,000, totaling 189,000.  Ottawa has been a leader among Canadian cities in building a strong community support system for seniors but the City’s changing demographic will require the City to increase its effectiveness and efficiency in its provision of services to seniors to meet this challenge.

Three priority areas of Housing, Transportation and Mobility, and Communication were identified through consultations with seniors and service providers, the work of the Seniors Advisory Committee (SAC) and Successful Aging Ottawa (SAO) and a review of relevant literature including the Ottawa Fact Book on Aging and the SAO Ottawa Seniors Survey. 

A high-level Action Plan has been developed to guide the work of the initiative over the next year.  The following excerpts are taken from the Seniors Agenda – February 2006 report presented to HRSS in March 2006. The Seniors Agenda working group has developed the following action plan with respect to transportation and mobility as reflected by the City’s senior population.

Transportation and Mobility

Transportation is seen as a health issue because seniors who do not have access to appropriate transportation are not able to stay connected with their communities, recreation programs and social activities.  This contributes to seniors’ isolation.  Transportation is also an issue for access to medical services.  The solutions proposed through the consultations ranged from enhanced public transit availability to cultural sites, innovative ideas for transportation for rural seniors to community programs and services, better sidewalk maintenance, especially in winter, to stronger financial support to Community Support Agencies to provide volunteer drivers.

Leaders in the community have initiated a community-led Seniors Transportation and Mobility Strategy.  Representatives from the City of Ottawa’s Cultural Services and Community Funding Branch, By-Law Services in terms of Accessible Taxicabs, Surface Operations Branch, and OC Transpo’s Accessible Transit Specialist will work through the Seniors Agenda initiative with the Coalition of Community Support Organizations, Council on Aging and Reaching Out To Isolated Seniors (ROTIS) to develop a strategy which addresses transportation and mobility challenges.  City staff will:

1. Bring a population health approach to the community strategy for meeting the transportation and mobility needs of seniors;
2. Work collaboratively with the community to address these needs; and
3. Identify the specific role of the City for better meeting these needs, including more awareness and support around regular bus service, ParaTranspo services, pedestrian safety and promotion of healthy active living.

The Seniors Agenda Working Group will:

• Maintain a cross-departmental Working Group to promote ongoing coordination of information and referral to services provided by the City that impact seniors;
• Maintain the inventory of information on City of Ottawa services and programs impacting seniors for the Intra Net and for externally facing information, with the Call Centre as lead;
• Collaborate with the Learning Centre to incorporate awareness of seniors in Customer Service training for staff working in areas that impact seniors as well as for staff providing direct services to seniors; and
• Promote the ongoing engagement of seniors in the development and implementation of City plans affecting seniors.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The financial implications will be provided in detail when the Para Transpo service improvement options report is brought to Committee and Council at the end of the year, in time for the 2007 budget discussions.

DISPOSITION

The Public Works and Services Department will undertake the appropriate action following Committee and Council consideration of the Motion.