Manitoba's 3rd largest city runs without buses, leaving some families stuck in place

Steinbachwas "well-positioned"to start offering public transportation according to a study done 17 years ago, when it was a city of 10,000 people.

"There is the potential client base, necessary growth and most importantly the need for more sophisticated public transportation," according to a 2006report from the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg, commissioned by a group in Steinbach hoping for public transit.

Since then, Steinbach'swelcomed another 8,000 people, sprawled outward, and become a more dense communitywith more apartment and condominium complexes, but the city hasn't yet added public transit.

Gay Boese is part of a newgroup inSteinbachtrying to change that, and she says many residents would use it.

"We've gotpeople who can't maintain a job because they can't get to their work," saidBoese, a member of the South East Equity Coalition.

"We had a story of a young woman from Blumenort, who walked [nine kilometres] from Blumenort to Steinbach every day, all year, to work a minimum-wage job because she was so determined she wasn't going to go on [Employment and Income Assistance]," said Boese.

"We've had people who need food, they need to go to the hospital, they need to go to a doctor. How do you get there if there's no public transport and you can't afford a car and you can't afford a taxi?"

A city of automobiles, but not buses

Steinbach is know for itsrelationship with private vehiclesit is called the Automobile City, after all. The city'soft-repeated radio jingle,"It's worth the trip," continues to be abidforprice-conscious customers to buy an affordableset of wheels.

Witha city's identitytied to owning your own ride,it isn't surprising that smaller Manitoba communities have sped past Steinbachand its 18,000-strong population in adopting public transit, includingThompson, with 13,035 residentsaccording to the 2021 census,and Selkirk, with 10,504 residents.

Both Winkler (13,745 residents) and Portage la Prairie (13,270 residents)pursuedtransit feasibility studies in the last few years.

In Steinbach, Boese says the South East Equity Coalition is currently distributing a survey to gaugeopinions on public transit. Copies have gone out tosocial service agencies that support low-income individuals and newcomers.The coalition will present the survey'sfindings to Steinbach's leaders.

One of the roles for the coalition is "to convince the city councillors that the time is now," Boese said.

"There is a need, there is a will and now is the time to start working on it."

Bus servicecostly without the density: mayor

Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk said he looks forward to going over the surveyresults with the coalition and exploring ifthis is a road worth following. He cited a different study for the city whichsuggested Steinbach needed 20,000 to 25,000 citizensto make transit viable.

"There's just so many challenges with smaller urban centres with density. It's just so expensive when you don't have the density to cover your transit."

He said he'sspoken to other small-city mayors about transit, and they're virtually all facing financial challenges, but he saidtransit will surelybe inSteinbach's future.

"I want to make sure that we're doing the right thing," he said.

In the meantime, Steinbach residents like Nick Young are feeling left out. Without a vehicle, Young isrestricted in the activities he can do when his seven-year-old sonvisits.

"If I'm paying $12for a cab to get to apool, then it takes moneyout of my pocket that I want to be able to spend towardsmy son, so we can have that good time."

A bus could also takeYoungto work. Hiscommuteis currently a 40-minute walk,partiallyalonga highway. He takes a cab either to or from work, ashe said he gets exhausted staying on his feet as agas jockey, but he can'tafford two taxi fares in a day.

"Iwish there was something I could do, but I can't,and then it goes into the feeling of beingdiscouraged."

Some people outside Steinbach are also interested in a transit option.

Viktoria O'Malley moved from Steinbachin 2021to the small community of Kleefeld, Man., 14 kilometres to the southwest. Earlier this yearher husband changed jobs and doesn't have a company ride anymore, so he now takesthe family vehicle during daytime hours.

"Instantly, it was like this big weight, because all of a sudden I'm thinking of all the things that I can't [go to],"O'Malley said.

"I have to make sureI get out of the house somehow or call people or something, to notend up in misery."

A grocery store and playground are within walking distancein Kleefeld,but O'Malleycan't bringher kids to swimming lessons in Steinbach orvisit theSteinbach Family Resource Centre to take classes with other parents,and giveher kids, agefourand one, the chance to play with others.

"They're not just with each other because after a while, they do get tired of each other and they fight a little bit," she said.

"It's been really good for them to socialize with other kids."

O'Malley said her mothersometimes helps with rides, but not always. She'd usepublic transitif it became available.

Study exploring transit in southeastern Manitoba

Last year, the Rural Municipality of Piney and Eco-West Canada took it upon themselves to explore the potential fora regional transit service in southeastern Manitoba. Other municipalities aresupporting the project financially.

Preliminary results show a third of the 900-plus survey respondents aren't satisfied with their transportation options. Manyof themwant to rides intoSteinbach or Winnipeg, be it for work, shopping ormedicalappointments.

Martin Van Osch, Piney's chief administrative officer, said he understands there will bequestions about the viability oftransit in a low-density, geographically vast region, but he'sconvinced it's necessary.

Onetransit option coming forward in their discussionsisone that relies on a hub approach,using major highways toconnectcertain communities, or hubs. A private bus operator used to run through southeastern Manitoba, he said.

"It's worthwhilebecause the people that live out here want to live out here and are deserving of the same services that individuals in more urban areas live with," he said.

Is it 'worth the trip' for those without a car?

1 year ago

Duration 2:44

Steinbach might be "worth the trip" as the slogan says. It is a reflection of the number of car dealerships in the city. But if you don't have a car, travelling inside Steinbach, Man., it may not be worth it. We look at how Manitoba's third largest city runs without buses.