The following is a Q/A with Don Hull, Director of Transportation with the City of Hamilton
Q. Under new provincial accessibility laws, the city will have to expand
their D.A.R.T.S. service, to include customers that it presently does not
service. This change, alongside with increases in fuel costs and other expenses,
will present a challenge to DARTS and notwithstanding its efforts to fund raise
through the establishment of a foundation, the cost pressures may be visited
upon the taxpayer. Given that the sources of the increased costs are largely out
of the control of DARTS and the city, is there an understood mechanism in place
at the bureaucratic level for funding to be requested from other levels of
government? If so, how will this be pursued. If not, is this more of a political
matter that must be addressed in that way?
A. To maintain compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (Transportation Standard) the City will have to undertake a number of changes in the City's Accessible Transit (ATS/DARTS) programs requiring additional capital and operating funding.
There is no Federal or Provincial funding for these expenditures. The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) has pursued funding related to implementation on behalf of its members, over the course of development of the legislation, without success to date.
Achieving compliance within the ATS program will require an expenditure estimated to be in the order of $5.7 million given our current understanding of the legislation. Through the 2012 budget process, Council gave "approval-in-principle" for these program improvements subject to review and approval during the annual budget process. Concurrently, Council approved the first allocation of $750,000 in the 2012 budget to initiate implementation of a new eligibility policy, broader in scope that the current policy, for persons with disabilities requiring the DARTS service. Full implementation is expected to take 4-5 years.
DARTS has an objective within their Operations Plan to pursue alternate forms of revenue beyond what is provided by the City or derived from passenger revenue for the purpose of enhancing their contribution to the community. Their "not-for-profit" status enables them to raise funds through donations which is intended to be accomplished through their recently created DARTS Foundation.
Don Hull
Director of Transportation
Public Works Department
City of Hamilton
There is no Federal or Provincial funding for these expenditures. The Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) has pursued funding related to implementation on behalf of its members, over the course of development of the legislation, without success to date.
Achieving compliance within the ATS program will require an expenditure estimated to be in the order of $5.7 million given our current understanding of the legislation. Through the 2012 budget process, Council gave "approval-in-principle" for these program improvements subject to review and approval during the annual budget process. Concurrently, Council approved the first allocation of $750,000 in the 2012 budget to initiate implementation of a new eligibility policy, broader in scope that the current policy, for persons with disabilities requiring the DARTS service. Full implementation is expected to take 4-5 years.
DARTS has an objective within their Operations Plan to pursue alternate forms of revenue beyond what is provided by the City or derived from passenger revenue for the purpose of enhancing their contribution to the community. Their "not-for-profit" status enables them to raise funds through donations which is intended to be accomplished through their recently created DARTS Foundation.
Don Hull
Director of Transportation
Public Works Department
City of Hamilton
Thanks Don for engaging with Hamiltonians in The Hamiltonian.
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