The Municipality of Jasper is looking to build a home for public transit.
The MOJ’s Tuesday, February 27 Committee of the Whole meeting saw councillors approve, by a 4-3 margin, a motion to direct administration to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to build Jasper’s first ever public transit fleet facility.
“I think we need to show leadership and move forward,” said councillor Kathleen Waxer, who voted in favour of the motion made by Mayor Richard Ireland.
The MOJ has completed initial scoping research for the fleet facility, which will be capable of storing up to six EV busses. A class D construction estimate costs out the build at $4.6M (inclusive of a $435,108 contingency).
The request for decision came to council from Chief Administrative Officer Bill Given, who along with answering councillors’ questions about the item, outlined the benefits of the proposed facility, including significant operational advantages and future cost savings.
“It is an asset with a useful lifespan that greatly exceeds the proposed 5-year loan term,” Given said.
The staff report notes that the estimated useful life of the facility would be 30+ years.
In 2023, Jasper applied and received funding for a transportation planning study from the Rural Transit Solutions Fund. That program has a capital stream. Jasper has qualified for a $5 million grant for electric public transit infrastructure.
Waxer said that council should take advantage of the opportunity.
“In years to come we may not have that [grant funding],” she said.
Councillors Wendy Hall and Scott Wilson also supported Ireland’s motion to issue the RFP.
“There’s another check stop ahead of us,” Wilson said, suggesting council is simply fact-finding. “We won’t have any progress unless we know what this will cost us.”
Councillors Rico Damota, Helen Kelleher-Empey and Ralph Melnyk all voted against Ireland’s motion.
Damota said he wanted to wait for more input from community members. His vote to punt the issue back to committee discussions was defeated, 4-3.
“I can’t imagine what facts are going to come to light in the next week that will change anything,” Ireland said.
Ireland added that community members have a right to weigh in, but until the facts are presented—in this case through an RFP—council isn’t serving them by kicking the issue down the road.
“From my perspective this is an investment…in our environmental future, in our economic future, it’s an investment in parking and in social equity,” Ireland said.
At the beginning of the meeting, Jasper resident Jeff Wilson addressed council to speak in favour of administration’s recommendation to pursue the RFP, and of public transit in general.
“I’m here to lend a voice of support for the expansion of transit,” he said. “We have to look to the future.”
Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
