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Regional Transit Services Commission
Dissolution of EMTSC
On April 13, 2023, the Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission’s (EMTSC) Board of Directors voted unanimously to disestablish the Commission, effective May 31, 2023.
Despite the decision, Board Members remain optimistic in the long run that regional collaboration will continue. Regional municipalities continue to work with one another to deliver results for the citizens of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region’s diverse rural, urban, and suburban communities.
Read the full statement on the dissolution on the EMTSC website. You can also find more information on the EMTSC dissolution here.
Beaumont’s commuter transit service to Edmonton continues to operate as usual. Outside of the EMTSC framework, the City continues to engage with our regional partners on ways to improve regional transit service.
Archived updates
Legal Formation - January 28, 2021 Update
Eight municipalities in the Edmonton Metropolitan region explored delivering integrated transit services through a potential Regional Transit Service Commission. The initial exploration included researching the overall feasibility of an integrated-service approach that aims to deliver efficient and affordable transit options for riders throughout the region.
Legal Formation - January 28, 2021 Update
On January 28, 2021 the Government of Alberta approved the legal formation of a new regional services commission for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region with a mandate of improving regional transit and mobility.
News Release - Approval Received to Legally Form a Regional Transit Services Commission
Why consider creating a Regional Transit Commission?
Public transportation is a critical service that warrants regional consideration. As cities and communities continue to attract more people, demand for appealing and viable public transit alternatives for commuters continues to grow.
Municipal transit system providers face changing mobility preferences and shifts to regional economies that can make planning and forecasting transit services at the local level challenging.
In addition, the following considerations are worth examining at a regional level:
- The number of daily transit trips in the region has increased by nearly 9,000 since 2005, while the number of automobile trips has increased by about 236,000. That is one transit trip for every 26 automobile trips.
- Population impacts on our infrastructure and services may become more pronounced. For example, the regional forecast for 2020 population is 1.5 million and by 2065, this is expected to reach 3 million people, with 2 million people in the City of Edmonton and 1 million people in the region.
- Regional employment is forecasted to grow from 767,000 to 1.5 million jobs, reinforcing the need for efficient and effective transportation to support an increasing population.
What was considered as part of the regional transit service commission business case?
The Regional Transit Service Commission business case examined the possibility for:
- Convenient, cost-effective and extensive service across municipalities
- Integrated customer experience through improved community connections
This consideration will be based on data, costing and mapping of current local transit systems provided by each of the participating municipalities.
What this means for the City of Beaumont:
A unified transit network would offer more options to transit users while reducing our costs by 20 per cent. A regionally combined transit network has the potential to offer Beaumont transit users with extended hours, increased frequency, and more places to travel within the region - all at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Exact routes, destinations and schedules would be determined once municipalities agree to participate.
Previous Updates
December 21, 2021
On December 21, 2020, Beaumont City Council submitted a joint application to Alberta Municipal Affairs, with another seven participating municipalities to form the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Transit Services Commission.
This application was made possible due to legislative changes introduced by the Provincial Government through the Red Tape Reduction Act.
October 16, 2020
The Regional Transit Services Commission (RTSC) Interim Board is working on two primary milestones for 2020; approval from The Government of Alberta to legally form the commission and the selection of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Job posting for the RTSC Chief Executive Officer
June 1, 2020
The Regional Transit Services Commission Transition Team released an addendum document to the Accelerating Transit in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region: Building a Regional Transit Services Commission final report released on January 22, 2020.
The addendum outlines updated routes and figures included in the RTSC business case. These revisions reflect the removal of services previously incorporated to serve Strathcona County, Leduc County and Sturgeon County. Like the original report, the document serves to demonstrate the viability of a Commission in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region based on which municipalities have chosen to participate.
February 25, 2020
January 22, 2020
A report prepared for the 13 municipalities in the Edmonton Metropolitan region recommended that they take the next step in forming a Regional Transit Services Commission under provincial legislation.
Application
Municipalities who have chosen to join the commission jointly sponsored a proposal to the Government of Alberta to establish the Commission under Provincial Regulation. The application includes the final report and addendum, along with supporting documentation of capital plans and bylaws.
The following municipalities are represented on the provincial application: City of Beaumont, Town of Devon, City of Edmonton, City of Fort Saskatchewan, City of Leduc, City of St. Albert, City of Spruce Grove, and Town of Stony Plain.
Next Steps
The Regional Transit Services Commission is intended to begin operating by 2022. Public engagement will be a key focus of the next phase of work to be done before the Commission begins operations in the Region.
Background
In September 2017, City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert Councils signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to begin taking steps to develop a Regional Transit Services Commission. The other 11 Edmonton Metropolitan Region communities joined in October 2018.
To begin this work, the Government of Alberta awarded the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert a $3.7 million Community Partnership Grant, as the initial signatories, to work with the region to analyze the feasibility of a potential Transit Commission.