It's been a long time coming and a lot of behind the scenes work, but the ONTC has finally been moved from the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines to the Minister of Transportation.
The move took place on April 1.
See: ONTC will be responsibility of MTO
The step is expected to improve transportation in the North by transferring the ONTC into a ministry more aligned to its needs.
"The fact the MTO has locomotives, they run trains, and buses and the fact that Ontario Northland runs trains and buses, there's a huge synergy in putting these two back together. It's where they were when they began and this is where they belong and we'll do everything in our power now to move this along very quickly. It's complicated to move an entire corporation into a new ministry but we're making it happen," Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli told Village Media late last year.
The transfer allows the province to centralize oversight of government agencies that deliver public transportation and create opportunities to improve services says a government news release. This is part of the government’s commitment to connect communities and get people where they need to go, when they need to get there.
“Improving transportation and creating economic growth in northern Ontario is a priority for our government,” said Fedeli. “The transfer of the ONTC to the Ministry of Transportation is an important step to create more opportunities to improve transportation services in the North. It’s something many of us have been pushing for, over a number of years – and we’re so thrilled to see this become a reality."
“Our government recognizes the critical role that the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission plays in keeping people and goods moving in Northern Ontario,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “The transfer of oversight of the ONTC to the Ministry of Transportation will ensure they can continue to deliver the transportation services that the people of northern Ontario need.”
Ontario committed to exploring the feasibility of transferring responsibility for the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission from the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and the Ministry of Transportation in the 2019 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review.
