Saint John Transit is facing the threat of budget cuts again

For the fourth time in less than a decade, Saint John Transit is facing the possibility of deep budget cuts.

The Sustainability Saint John report, released by council a week ago, contains dozens of possible cost-cutting and revenue-raising methods to help the city find as much as $12 million to cover a projected deficit in 2021 and 2022.

It recommends cutting $2 million from the city's portion of the transit budget.

Coun. Donna Reardon, who sits on the parking and transit commission, said that's a huge cut.

Reardon said the transit budget is about $10 million, of which the city covers about half. 

Once the annual debt servicing requirements of about $1.5 million are factored in, Reardon said the projected cut would mean a reduction in operations of almost 40 per cent.

She said she doesn't know where those cuts could be made. 

"Most of your routes are in the primary development area and that's where we say we want growth to happen," she said. "But if we're going to cut the transit that services that area… I don't think it makes sense to do it." 

Mayor Don Darling knows it would be a "significant" cut.

"I will absolutely acknowledge that," he said. "I would ask for a little bit of patience over the next period of time while we roll our sleeves up and get into the details."

The mayor also pointed out that the recommendations are not set in stone and said staff will explore alternatives to disruptive service cuts, examining service delivery and the cost-effectiveness of all routes.

"I would like to hear experts tell us what would a transit system look like, that was maybe more focused in a more dense area but maybe was more frequent," he said. 

"We hear all the time people that live in areas fairly close to the core of the city but can't use the service because the bus only comes every every few hours."

Darling said the key now is to work together to find solutions.

"What I'm hearing so far in the last week is, touch the other guy, cut the other guy, or a person or group, but don't cut us." he said, "That will not work."

Raise parking fees?

Reardon said she doesn't like the idea of cutting transit, but is in favour of raising the rates at the city's many uptown parking lots.

With 20,000 people coming into the city every day, she said there's "huge opportunity" to raise the rates "dramatically."

"I'd say the sky's the limit," she said. "This is a car-centric town. Who is going to give up their vehicle?"

Reardon said the answer to the city's financial woes could be found by looking outside its borders.

"That wheel's been invented in other cities," she said. "I am willing to look at all the best practices across the country to figure out where Saint John can take parking and transit as an entity."