Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission

The Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) traces its roots to 2017, when the cities of Edmonton and St. Albert signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the creation of a regional transit services commission.[2] In February 2020, thirteen municipal councils voted to investigate the potential for a regional transit services commission (RTSC).[3] Nine of these municipalities, including Edmonton, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, and Leduc, later submitted an application to the provincial government to establish the Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission.[2] The impetus for the commission's formation was the region's rapidly growing population, and the increasing interconnectivity of its member communities and their work forces.[4] The town of Morinville opted out soon after the application was submitted, chiefly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] The commission was given ministerial permission to operate on 28 January 2021.[1]

The EMTSC serves six cities and two towns:[2]

• City of Beaumont
• City of Edmonton
• City of Fort Saskatchewan
• City of Leduc
• City of Spruce Grove
• City of St. Albert
• Town of Devon
• Town of Stony Plain

Four regional municipalities are "non-voting, non-paying, advising stakeholders" which do not receive service from the commission:[5]

• Town of Morinville
• Leduc County
• Parkland County
• Sturgeon County

An interim board of elected representatives from each member community is conducting the initial work of the potential commission, including hiring a Chief Executive Officer.[2] The commission will initially contract service delivery to existing transportation agencies while it develops its operational and planning capabilities.[6] Edmonton's local transit services and LRT network will not initially be transferred to the commission due to their size and operational costs.[4] The commission's board will re-consider the inclusion of Edmonton's LRT network and local bus services, along with regional paratransit services, in 2026.[4] Member communities are expected to save approximately $2.2 million on transit costs annually.[6] Communities will continue to plan and pay for their local transit routes, while the commission will determine how those routes will be serviced.[4]

The commission is currently in phase two of its launch plan, which contains five phases in total.[4] Phase one, pre-implementation, was in effect from the time that the interim board was formed until the commission was given ministerial permission to operate.[4] During this time, the interim board focused on gaining provincial approval of the commission, drafting transition assessments and recommendations, and recruiting a CEO.[6] Phase two, also known as "formation and set-up," is when the commission will establish its initial workforce, infrastructure, policies and procedures.[4] Phase two will last for the entirety of 2021, and includes goals such as the creation of the commission's strategic and business plans, establishing lease agreements for transit-related facilities, and finalizing the regional service design.[4] During this time, local and regional transit services will be contracted by the EMTSC to existing local transit services, as well as private companies which operate transit services such as Fort Sask Transit.[4] "Preparation for service deployment" will occur in phase three, which is expected to be in effect for the first half of 2022.[4] This is when the commission will onboard the remaining resources needed for it to roll out regional transit services in July 2022.[4] Key objectives of this phase include the development of a brand and marketing identity, transitioning all municipal transit services to EMTSC control by June 2022 (with the exception of local ETS services and municipal paratransit services within the region), and planning fleet deployments.[4]

Phase four, which will start in July 2022, marks the beginning of transit service delivery by the EMTSC.[4] It will occur in phases until the end of 2023.[4] During this phase, the EMTSC will focus on maintaining customer service and communications, analyzing the successes and failures of the rollout as it progresses, and recruiting more staff as the commission expands its services.[4] The final phase of the commission's launch will begin by the end of 2023, with a focus on improving its services in preparation for its absorption of ETS local services, and municipal paratransit services.[4] During this time, the commission will focus on surveying riders, identifying service improvements such as the standardization of vehicle features (e.g. drivers' shields, Wi-Fi enabled buses, etc.), and revising local transit routes to meet specific guidelines.[4] This phase will last until 2026, when the commission aims to adopt ETS local services and become the sole deliverer of transit services within its member communities.[4]

Fare levels will be determined by the commission's board of governors, and the service will eventually use SmartFare technology to enable riders to pay by tapping fare cards or credit cards.[4]

• Edmonton Transit Service
• Edmonton Metropolitan Region
• Fort Sask Transit
• Leduc Transit
• St Albert Transit

• Regional Transit Services Commission | City of Edmonton
• Regional Transit Services Commission | City of St. Albert