Transportation inequity plagues Winnipeg's inner-city residents, report says

Winnipeg must createatransportation system that breaks the "poverty trap" bygivingthe poorest and most marginalized people the same ability to get around and take care of their daily needs as everyone else, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Inner-city residents are more likely to experience transportation problems due to low incomes, leading to social isolation and an inability to improve their lives,says the14thannual State of the Inner City report from thethink-tank.

"Finding a job or going to work, getting groceries or other supplies, participating in social activities, accessing health care or social services all require the ability to get there," the report says.

The reportGreen Light Go: Improving Transportation Equity in Winnipeg's Inner Citywill be launched at noon on Friday.

In addition to calls for changes and improvements to Winnipeg Transit, it talks about reducing barriers through walking and biking infrastructure.

In a society that assumes high mobility among its citizens, many are overlooked, it says.

Without a transportation network that helps people with low incomes, they have a hard time accessing employment and education opportunities,child care,nutritious foodand medical supports, the centre says.

The organization callsitsState of the Inner Citya megaphone for those voices, as it tries toguidethe development of amore equitable andlivablecity for all.

Compiled after meetings with inner city organizations and consultations through town halls with inner city residents, the 2018report looksat everything fromimprovingstoragespace on buses for cargolike grocery bagsand extending bus service to provincial parks and beaches, to mandatorysensitivity training for bus drivers andaddressing safety for Indigenous women taking taxis.

Some suggestions include:

• Offering low-income bus passes

A cheaper bus pass for low-income people could help improve access while creating a safer workplace for transit drivers byreducing conflict on buses, the report says. Ninety per cent of attacks against bus drivers involve fare disputes,the report says. Officials from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505, which represents drivers, have said in the past that most incidents on buses are a result of fare disputes.

• Expanding DART service

DARTbuses operate during off-peak hours and are cellphone equipped. People call and speak directly to the driver to arrange pickup from home. Theycurrently only provideservice to residents living selected areas of south and southeast Winnipeg.

• Improving theHandi-Transitservice

CCPArecommends bringing Handi-Transit services back in-house, delivered by the City of Winnipeg instead of contracted out, "because ensuring accessibility should not be left up to the market."

Disability advocates say the current service is inadequate and "the consequences of poor service are severe: missed job opportunities, difficulty getting to appointmentsand increased isolation," the report says.

• Addressing safety for Indigenous women taking taxis

Indigenous women being solicited by taxi drivers for sexual favours in exchange for fares have made headlines but itremains unknown how common these occurrences are because little has been done to investigate and
resolve the issue, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says.

The recently passed provincialBill 30, the Local Vehicles for Hire Act, put the responsibility for regulating the taxi industry on the City of Winnipeg. So the city must implement meaningfully policy to investigate claims made against taxi drivers, the centre says.

In the past, womenwere told to go to police or to file a complaint with thetaxi board, a process described as intimidatingandwoefully inadequate because many Indigenous peoplehave had negative interactions with police and often don't feel safe filing reports.

The CCPAreport calls for an easy-to-use feedback system for passengers, mandatory security cameras with audio in taxis, and mandatory sensitivity training for drivers on respectful communication with passengers and on issues facing theIndigenous, queer, disabled and immigrant communities.

• Sensitivity training for bus drivers

The CCPAsuggests bus drivers also takethe sensitivity training recommended for taxi drivers, as people said they'dwitnessed or experienced racism or rudeness from transit operators.

• Extendingbus service to provincial parks and beaches

"Advocating for access to a provincial park and beach may at first glance seem a frivolous recommendation when people are struggling with employment, housing and food security," the report says.

"There are important positive relationships, however, between increased access to green spaces and improved overall well-being. Otherwise someWinnipeggersmay never make it out of the city at all."

• Improvingthe overall active transportation network

Active transportation infrastructure should encourage connections between neighbourhoods, employment areas and services such as grocery stores, medical clinics and areas of employment, the report says. The city also needs to go beyond simply building bike lanes to including bike-sharing options thatencourage greater mobility.

• Snow clearing

Snow removal on sidewalks and cycling paths needs to be sped up, the centre says. It can take up to 36 hours for sidewalks to be cleared, which translates to people with mobility issues possibly being stuck in their homes.

• Safety Phones

Many low-income people struggle to afford phones and the removal of many public pay phones has created risks for people walking and biking. The centre suggests the city take inspiration fromMinneapolis'sMidtown Greenway,a nine-kilometre urban bike trail that features blue safety phones that connectusers to 911.

An equitable transportation system works to remove physical barriers that people with disabilities have to overcome every day andgives them the ability to contribute to their communities and to improve their own lives, the State of the Inner City report says.

Achieving transportation equity requires investment from all levels of government, says the CCPA.

The independent think-tankpolicy research institute, whichhas been described as left leaning, has put out an annual report since 2005.

In 2017, the focus was on community-based programming, and in 2016, it was on reconciliation.

A number ofissues were considered for this year,including the city's meth crisis, child care, income inequality, racismand Indigenous migration into urban centres. However, transportation barriers were a topic that popped up early on and had never specifically been focused on by the State of the Inner City report, the CCPAsaid.