Windsor ranks lowest out of 41 cities for commuters who walk, bus, bike: census
Out of more than 40 cities across Canada, Windsor is ranked poorest for the size of its commuter population getting to work or school by foot, bus or bicycle.
Recently-released census data from Statistics Canada compared 41 cities — from Windsor and Toronto to Halifax and Edmonton — for its “share of commuters using sustainable transportation.”
About 23 per cent of commuters in Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal get where they need to go via transit, walking or cycling — topping the list from the 2021 census data.
But, with just six per cent of its commuters using sustainable transportation, Windsor sits at the very bottom of the list.
Longtime cycling and safety advocate Lori Newton said the numbers are “disappointing” but come as no surprise.
“People in this city should not be required to own a car to live here and that’s what we’ve created. If you don’t have a car in the City of Windsor, you’re a second-hand citizen here,” said Newton, adding political officials have not shown a strong enough commitment to active transportation.
As executive director for Bike Windsor Essex, Newton said she’s been keeping an eye on how other cities such as London and Hamilton are supporting active transportation users — adding while they “sometimes miss the mark,” it’s apparent they are making changes which are leaving Windsor “way behind.”
Some of the work she’s seen includes building barriers to separate cyclists from traffic, painting bike boxes on roadways and extending bike lanes into intersections.
“Because the lane drops off, you’re left on your bike and thinking, 'Where do I go now? What do I do? What’s safe for me?’ It’s one of the reasons why we see cyclists on sidewalks,” said Newton, adding cyclists are having to break the law to protect themselves.
“We’re quick to criticize people and call them out for not riding safely but they’re doing the best that they can to remain safe while they’re out riding. But it is certainly the reason why we have a lot of women and children who won’t ride.”
Windsor resident Christine Fitzpatrick, who uses the bus as her main mode of transportation around the city, said she understands why so many commuters are opting not to take the bus to get to work.
Fitzpatrick resides in Windsor’s east end and said she regularly needs to go downtown for appointments and other general items.
“Originally, it took about an hour and a half, one way, just to get downtown from my place,” she said.
“It’s been a little bit better. They’ve changed the route so it doesn’t go down so many streets as it did before — but it’s still an hour.”
Fitzpatrick, who is also a member of the advocacy group Activate Transit Windsor-Essex, is calling for more buses along routes so people who miss one bus “aren’t waiting an hour” for another to arrive.
The group is also calling for more express routes that can quickly get from one side of the city to the other, along with further investments in the city’s transit system as a whole.
“What we’re looking for is to make sure that the end user can see these investments. We’re just worried today is not going to get invested in the right projects. We really need a new garage for transit,” said Fitzpatrick.
Windsor city council recently voted for a $100-million upgrade to transit services but nixed plans to build a new bus garage.
CTV News reached out to the city and the mayor’s office for comment but neither agreed to an interview.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.