OC Transpo eliminates rural premium as of March 1
Posted Feb 26, 2010 By Shad Qadri
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Tweet ThisEMC News - As of March 1, the rural premium attached to express bus passes will be eliminated. The cost of an express pass will be $114 per month. The change will also apply to those with an EcoPass. If you are an EcoPass subscriber and require a refund, you can make a claim until March 15. Please contact your respective EcoPass administrators to ensure the necessary changes are made.
Please note these changes only apply to Stittsville residents.
In 2008, OC Transpo proposed a three-year plan that would shift the Stittsville community from the Town Transit Area (TTA) to the Urban Transit Area (UTA). From 2009-2011, services would increase each year and the transit portion of your tax bill would be adjusted accordingly.
Last year, OC Transpo improved service delivery, adding additional runs to an express run and to the 96. As well, route 163 was extended into the community. As a result, taxes were adjusted to reflect the service increases.
During a public meeting in 2008, OC Transpo had indicated that for 2010, the rural premium would be eliminated and service would be adjusted yet again. However, as a result of the 2010 budget deliberations, no service increases will be implemented citywide. As a result, OC Transpo determined it would only eliminate the rural premium. Taxes will be adjusted to reflect the change in fare prices.
When OC Transpo proposed the three-year phase-in proposal, a general estimate for transit taxes was provided to the community. It was estimated the taxes would be $306 (2008), $390 (2009), $440 (2010) and $486 (2011) for the average property assessed at $285,000. However, in 2009, the transit portion of the average property tax bill was $334 and it is estimated that it will be $384 this year according to the City's finance department.
For contrast purposes, the average property in the UTA paid $494 in 2009 and is expected to pay $522 in 2010 for transit taxes.
Should you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
ROTARIANS GO TO THE EXTREME IN FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
For the second year in a row, Stittsville Rotarians will be taking to the great outdoors in an effort to raise funds for those affected by natural disasters.
Beginning on Feb. 26 at 9 a.m., Rotary members will camp out in Village Square Park for 53 hours. The goal is to raise $15,000 in order to purchase 15 ShelterBoxes to provide a means of survival to people in Haiti and around the world.
Each ShelterBox includes a large tent, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, a multi-fuel stove, a bag of tools to help in rebuilding, water jugs and purification tablets - all the essentials necessary for up to 10 people to survive the aftermath of a natural disaster or any other major event/conflict that has displaced them from their homes.
As of February 2009, the ShelterBox organization has sent in excess of 70,000 ShelterBoxes to 48 countries worldwide, providing emergency accommodation for approximately 700,000 disaster victims.
The community is welcome to see the ShelterBox in use. Charitable receipts are available for any donations of $20 or more, which can be given at the site of the event. Donations made payable to ShelterBox Canada can also be mailed to Stittsville Rotary Club, 1354 Main Street, Stittsville, Ontario, K2S 1V4.
GRANITE RIDGE SLOW DOWN WRAP-UP
In an effort to improve the quality of life and the safety of roads in Stittsville, the City of Ottawa Traffic Department and the Ottawa Police Service initiated a Slow Down Pilot Program in the Granite Ridge subdivision in the spring of 2008.
I encouraged the Traffic Department to initiate this project given the speeding and safety concerns raised by the community. This pilot project involved special information signs, digital radar speed boards, community information pamphlets, and enforcement resources which reminded drivers to slow down, follow speed limits and stop for stop signs.
I would like to thank the Granite Ridge Community Association for their participation in this program. For this to be a successful endevour, it was essential to have the community involved.
Since the launch of this program in Granite Ridge, other communities of Stittsville have also expressed interest in having this program in their neighbourhood.
A requirement for this program is to have direct involvement from a community association. I would encourage community groups to contact me if they are interested in initiating this program in their neighbourhood.
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