By Anne Finlay-Stewart

What constitutes a core service? Bernice Ackermann used the term in her address to Owen Sound council when she asked for its support for Transit Tuesday, a July 15 event to celebrate 70 years of buses in the city and to encourage Owen Sounders to leave their cars at home.

While the mayor and councillors have often referred to city transit as important, even essential, bus advocates fear that short-term cost-saving will trump long-term vision in the city's decisions on this file. A special council meeting July 24 at 4 p.m. may tell the tale.

Advocates are particularly concerned that council will receive the report of transit consultants Steer Davies Gleave on a four-route system that does not include a full-service transfer point, and that council could choose new buses that will limit the capacity of the system to grow.

Although current bus riders will be most immediately affected by council's decisions, they have found enthusiastic support from those who are looking to the future demographics and environment of the city. 350 Grey Bruce, a group seeking to lead local action on climate change, have been promoting public and active transit systems as part of the city's responsibility to reduce fossil fuel use. Francesca Dobbyn of United Way Grey Bruce sees an even broader mandate for council -

"Transit is an investment in the city and our people, and we need to plan and prepare for a system that can support our aging population and a growing income disparity as well as positive development in education and culture."

Ontario's Ministry of Municipal Affairs includes transit in its list of key services, alongside water, fire, police, roads, parks and waste. Local advocates intend to move it to top of the list, at the very least on selected Tuesdays.

Anne Finlay-Stewart is Community Editor of Owensoundhub.org. She can be reached at [email protected].