Transit Master Plan
FrançaisUPDATE: The original plan for the final engagement phase of the Transit Master Plan was to gather feedback from the community in the spring. We have now revised the plan and will engage the community in the fall through virtual events and online engagement.
This will be the final phase of engagement prior to finalizing and submitting the Transit Master Plan for Council consideration. Residents may sign up for updates or provide feedback by sending an email to transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca.
Details from previous engagement on the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan and the proposed network design can be found using the tabs below.
- Timeline
- Updates
- Background
- Transit Plus
- Engage
- FAQs
- Proposed Network Design
- Documents
- Related Links
Project Timeline
Updates
January 6, 2020 – Stakeholder engagement with Transit Plus users is currently in progress, including upcoming discussion sessions. For more information on what is being addressed in these discussions, please see the Transit Plus tab.
November 26, 2019 – Phase Two of public engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan has wrapped up. Thank you to all who attended our workshops, community conversations and drop-in events, and to everyone who provided feedback through the online survey or email. Approximately 400 people attended our in-person events, and 3,762 people provided feedback through our online survey.
We are currently reviewing feedback received, and will report back on how this feedback was considered when the plan is presented for Phase Three public engagement in early 2020.
October 25, 2019 – Phase Two of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan public engagement has begun. We want to hear Winnipeggers’ feedback and input into the proposed network design, including the proposed routes. Your input will inform the draft Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, which we will share with you in early 2020. Please visit the Engage tab for more information.
April 23, 2019 – Thank you to all who attended the public events and provided feedback during Phase One of the Transit Master Plan engagement. Feedback is currently being considered and a summary of the engagement process will be posted online. Please visit the Engage tab for more information.
Stay up-to-date on the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project by signing up for updates: transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca.
Background
Winnipeg is growing and our transit system needs to grow too. In the next 25 years, we expect that nearly one million people will call Winnipeg home. As we grow, we need to invest in important services and infrastructure like public transit, to support a thriving, modern city. The Transit Master Plan will help ensure that transit can connect people and communities as the city grows.
We want your help to shape Winnipeg’s future transit system. Now is the time to think about what kind of transit system we need to connect communities in a sustainable and efficient way.
The Transit Master Plan will guide the development of a transit system that provides a practical alternative to driving, reducing congestion on our roads, and contributing to a transportation system that serves us now and into the future.
The 2011 OurWinnipeg plan and the 2011 Transportation Master Plan provided a vison for a city that is socially and environmentally sustainable and has lower greenhouse gas emissions. As Winnipeg continues to grow, we will need more people to use transit if we want to meet these goals.
Your input will help us create a 25-year Master Transit Plan that meets our city’s needs, now and into the future. You will have several chances to share your thoughts during three phases of public engagement.
Transit Plus
As part of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, the City of Winnipeg invites you to participate in discussion sessions related to potential changes to Winnipeg Transit Plus service. These sessions will involve presentations on the major changes being considered, followed by question and answer periods. Four sessions will be offered in total – two on Monday, January 13, and two on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.
Monday, January 13 sessions: 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14 sessions: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Duration of each session: 2.5 hours
Location: Millennium Library, Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd Floor, 251 Donald Street (Sky walk will be open for 2nd floor access.)
Additional rooms will be available to facilitate open discussions on each of the topics covered, which will include:
- Eligibility
- Trip prioritization
- No-shows and cancellations
- Booking times and trip delivery
- The 'Family of Services' model
Please RSVP at transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca and let us know which session you’ll be attending. Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.
For inquiries or for those who require alternate formats, interpretation or any additional accommodations to participate, please contact the Transit Master Plan project team by Monday, January 6 at 204-928-8691 or transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca.
Please help us create a scent-free environment. Sign language (ASL) interpretation and real time captioning will be available onsite.
The purpose of this review is to:
- Evaluate how Transit Plus is doing and compare to best practices in North America
- Respond to main findings of Ombudsman’s Report
- Assess eligibility criteria, trip prioritization and no show policies; contrast with industry best practices
- Align with new proposed Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) legislation pertaining to transportation
- Modernize the program by making it equitable and sustainable
- Integrate accessible conventional fixed route services into our service delivery strategy
Feedback from the discussion sessions will be presented at upcoming open houses in March. A survey will also be available in March.
Engage
January 6, 2020 - As part of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, the City of Winnipeg invites you to participate in discussion sessions related to potential changes to Winnipeg Transit Plus service. These sessions will involve presentations on the major changes being considered, followed by question and answer periods. Four sessions will be offered in total – two on Monday, January 13, and two on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.
Monday, January 13 sessions: 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14 sessions: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Duration of each session: 2.5 hours
Location: Millennium Library, Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd Floor, 251 Donald Street (Sky walk will be open for 2nd floor access.)
For more information, please visit the Transit Plus tab.
Thank you to all who provided feedback at one of our public events or through our online platform for Phase Two public engagement of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan.
From October 25 to November 24, over 400 people attended our workshops, community conversations, and drop-in events and over 3,700 Winnipeggers shared their ideas online.
All feedback is currently being considered and we will share a summary report of what we heard and how it was considered when the plan is presented for Phase Three public engagement in early 2020.
In Phase Three, we will be sharing the draft Winnipeg Transit Master Plan and asking people for their input. We look forward to continuing our conversation with Winnipeggers about the future of transit in Phase Three this winter.
Stay informed
Stay up-to-date on the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project by signing up for updates: transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca.
Regular updates will be shared on the website and on social media as we work on the plan. You can also read the report on what we heard during the first phase of engagement.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will be shared with Winnipeggers in 2020, along with a report that explains how public input was used to shape the plan.
For inquiries or those who require alternate formats or interpretation to participate, please contact Maureen Krauss at 204-944-9907 or transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca.
Engagement phases
Phase One: Understand current use & future vision
The project team will talk with Winnipeggers about how they currently use transit, what is important to them, and what they would like to see in the future. This information will be reported in a white paper that identifies key areas for further study during the development of the Transit Master Plan.
Thank you to all who provided feedback at one of our public events or through our online platform for Phase One of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. View the engagement summary in the Documents tab.
Phase Two: Proposed network design
In this phase, we will share a proposed network design to make transit more efficient, frequent and reliable. We will share information about how the proposed network will help people get around the city and the proposed routes that are part of the network. We will ask Winnipeggers for their feedback on the proposed network design, including proposed routes.
Phase Three: Review draft plan
The project team will share a draft Transit Master Plan with Winnipeggers and ask for their feedback. Public input will be included with the final Transit Master Plan presented to the City.
Once the final Transit Master Plan is presented to Council for consideration in spring 2020, it will be shared with Winnipeggers. We will also share how your input was used to shape the plan.
FAQs
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will lay out a 25-year vision for our transit system and identify the steps we need to take to get there. It will be a long-term, system-wide plan that will cover all aspects of the public transit system – Transit, Rapid Transit, and Transit Plus (formerly Handi-Transit) service and infrastructure.
There are a few ways for you to get involved:
- Visit the Engage tab to learn how to get involved
- Send us an email at: transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is being funded by the City of Winnipeg and the federal government through the federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The $2.6 million dollar project is cost-shared 50-50 between the City and federal government.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is a 25-year plan. The anticipated budget constraints over the next four years do not change what Winnipeggers will need from their transit system as we grow to a city of nearly a million people. However, it may affect how quickly we are able to implement the plan. One part of our implementation plan will look at how much of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan we can put in place with little-to-no additional cost.
Winnipeg is continuing to grow and is expected to reach nearly a million people in the next 25 years. We need to invest in important services and infrastructure, like public transit, to support a growing, thriving, modern city, now and into the future.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will help ensure that transit can connect people and communities as the city grows. We want to make sure our transit system can provide better options for getting around, make it easier for people to choose and access transit, reduce congestion on our roads, and contribute to a transportation system that serves future generations well.
The Southwest Transitway was developed based on priorities established in Winnipeg’s Transportation Master Plan (adopted 2011). The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will also be based on the principles of the Transportation Master Plan. Building the Southwest Transitway helps us meet our current transportation needs, while the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will help us plan for the future.
The Eastern Corridor Study is a separate process that started before the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, and is being carried out by a different project team. When the Master Plan was announced, the Eastern Corridor Study was placed on hold to ensure alignment between the two projects. The Eastern Corridor Study process has now resumed. Based on the combined analysis of both project teams, we will be recommending a Point Douglas alignment for the rapid transit service to Transcona, as shown in the network maps for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. More details on that project will be available from that project team in the near future.
Different areas of the city have different needs for transit. For example, there are usually more riders along major streets and fewer riders in suburban residential areas. The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan uses data showing how Winnipeggers move around the city to propose different service types for different needs and demand. The service types are connected to help people get around the city.
The project team is considering all options. Building light rail infrastructure costs many times more than bus rapid transit infrastructure. To justify the cost, in most cities, the decision to change a rapid line from bus to rail is based on criteria such as how many people use the service now and how many may use the service in the future to justify the cost. The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will set criteria for when a light rail line should be considered.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will build on the goals of the Transportation Master Plan (adopted in 2011). These include:
- A transportation system that is dynamically integrated with land use
- A transportation system that supports active, accessible and healthy lifestyle options
- A safe, efficient and equitable transportation system for people, goods and services
- Transportation infrastructure that is well maintained
- A transportation system that is financially sustainable
- A transportation system that reduces its greenhouse gas emissions footprint and meets or surpasses climate change and emission reduction goals set by the City and the Province
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is guided by Winnipeg’s Climate Action Plan, which identifies a strategic opportunity in advancing sustainable transportation. Transportation produces a large amount of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and the City understands that a sustainable transportation system can help reduce the impact of transportation on the environment. Key directions include increasing the use and efficiency of public transit systems. We know that to meet our goals for reducing emissions, we need to have more people using transit. We want to hear from Winnipeggers about what would encourage them to use transit more and how to design an environmentally sustainable transit system.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is guided by the goals of the Transportation Master Plan (adopted 2011), which include a safe, efficient, and equitable transportation system for people, goods and services. We also are consulting with organizations that represent low-income Winnipeggers as part of our planning process.
We also are consulting with organizations that represent low-income Winnipeggers as part of our planning process.
The project team will consider how active transportation can work together with the transit system. We also want to hear from Winnipeggers about how the connections between transit and other forms of transportation, including cycling, walking, and automobiles, should be part of a transit system for the future.
We want to hear from you. There will be many public engagement opportunities throughout the planning process. You can sign up for project updates to get information about public engagement opportunities throughout the year.
The team will review emails sent in and respond within three days. Please contact us with further questions at: transitmasterplan@winnipeg.ca
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is an initiative of the City of Winnipeg and is looking at transit services and infrastructure mostly within the City limits. Transit service for other areas outside of the City is the responsibility of the local municipalities. We recognize that not all transit users currently reside within the City limits, and welcome diverse feedback on the plan.
The project team is using different types of data to understand how Winnipeggers use the transit system and how people move around the City. Ridership data is also being used,, including where people get on and off the system and which stops and routes are the busiest.
To understand how people move around the city using other transportation, we are also studying Winnipeggers’ travel patterns using anonymous location data from cell phones that is collected through apps on our devices. This is the same data that municipalities, fire departments, sports leagues and other organizations use to make decisions about infrastructure and investments.The project team is creating a Winnipeg Transit Master Plan that meets Winnipeggers’ transportation needs. We’re using this anonymized data to make sure our planning reflects how people actually move around the city.
No. Location data is anonymized. There is no way to connect this data with you.
No. Unfortunately, once your information has been shared, it is not possible to delete it.
The data we receive does not include information about what apps were used for collection.
Proposed Network Design
The proposed network design for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is based on what we heard in the first phase of public engagement and what we learned from looking at how Winnipeggers travel around the city.
Learn more about the new network design in this video: Winnipeg Transit Master Plan proposed network design
Proposed Network Design
Different areas of the city have different needs for transit. For example, there are usually more riders along major streets and fewer riders in suburban residential areas.
The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan proposes different types of service to meet different needs and demand. The service types are connected to help people get around the city.
The following illustration shows how the different service types connect to help people travel around their neighbourhoods and across the city.
Rapid, frequent, and direct lines will make up the primary network of all-day, high-frequency routes on major streets. Connector and community routes will make up the feeder network that will help people move around their neighbourhoods and connect to the primary network.
1. Rapid lines run every five to 10 minutes on dedicated transit lanes to bypass congestion.
2. Frequent lines run every 10 to 15 minutes along major streets to help people travel across the city.
3. Direct lines run every 10 to 20 minutes along main streets to help people travel between neighbourhoods.
4. Connector routes run every 15 to 30 minutes to connect people to the primary network and help them move around the city.
5. Community routes run every 30 to 60 minutes and help people travel within their neighbourhoods and connect to the rest of the transit network.
6. On-request services will be available in areas with very low demand to help people connect to the transit network.
7. There will be four types of places where people can connect to transit: stops, junctions, stations, and hubs. These are described in more detail below.
How people will connect to transit
In the proposed network, there will be four kinds of places where people can connect to transit: stops, junctions, stations, and hubs. These places will make it easier for people to access transit, change buses, and switch between different kinds of transportation – walking, cycling, driving (including car co-ops, ride hailing services, and taxis), and public transit.
| What are they? | |
|---|---|
| Stops | Marked locations along primary network lines and feeder network routes where riders can access transit. These are used in our current transit system. |
| Junctions | Places where two or more routes meet. Over time, junctions will be developed to make sure they are accessible and to make it easier to change buses. Junctions will also have shelters and real-time transit information. |
| Stations | Places where many people are getting on and off of the bus, usually with two or more connecting lines or routes (for example, a frequent line and a connector route). Stations will be developed with larger shelters, real-time transit information and may have places to change to other kinds of transportation (for example, bike racks or drop-off zones). |
| Hubs | Places where you can transfer between three or more lines or routes and switch between different kinds of transportation – walking, cycling, driving, and public transit. Hubs can also include features like Wi-Fi, food service, and shops. |
In the proposed network, when and where you transfer may change. For example, you may have to transfer between the feeder network and the primary network to get downtown or across town. Junctions, stations, and hubs will be designed to make changing buses more comfortable.
Frequent service on the primary network will mean that buses will arrive more often. When buses arrive often, they are less crowded and wait times are short. Short wait times make transfer quicker, more flexible, and easier to plan.
Proposed routes
Click on the images below to see full maps of the proposed transit network.
Primary network – these are the rapid, frequent, and direct lines that help people travel quickly and efficiently across the city.
Feeder network – these are the routes that help people connect to the primary network and travel around their neighbourhoods.
Full network – see how the primary and feeder networks connect.
Downtown network – the map below shows the proposed network in downtown Winnipeg.
How transit will change
We heard that people want transit to be easier to use. The changes proposed in the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan will make routes simpler and easier to understand. Simpler routes also help to make transit more efficient and reliable.
Here are some of the ways that routes will change in the proposed plan compared to what we have now.
| Current issue | Why this is a problem | Proposed solution | What it means for riders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routes do not follow straight lines. |
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| Routes run between multiple points – one route has many different branches. These routes often combine rapid and frequent lines and community routes. |
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| Most routes run downtown and use the same two streets, making a lot of turns at very congested intersections. |
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| Different route numbers follow the same path at different times of day with different stops. |
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Documents
| Document Name | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Transit Plus Presentation | January 6, 2020 | Presentation (PDF) |
| Winnipeg Transit Plus Presentation | January 6, 2020 | Presentation (PowerPoint) |
| Winnipeg Transit Plus Presentation | January 6, 2020 | Presentation (MSWord) |
| News release | October 25, 2019 | News release |
| Postcard | October 25, 2019 | Postcard |
| Phase 1 Full Public Engagement Report | October 25, 2019 | PE Report |
| Phase 1 Public Engagement Summary | October 25, 2019 | PE Summary |
| Proposed Network Design | October 25, 2019 | Communication |
| News release | March 15, 2019 | News Release |
| Open House Boards | March 15, 2019 | Storyboards |
| Postcard | March 15, 2019 | Postcard |
| Transit Master Plan Handout | March 15, 2019 | Communication |
