Transit changes to take effect June 29

Winnipeg

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This article was published 25/06/2025 (331 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Major changes are on the horizon for Winnipeg Transit riders.

On Sunday, June 29, a new system of bus routes take effect across the city. Old routes are still in effect until the end of Saturday, June 28. The changes, which are part of the new Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, have been in the works now for years and are intended to make transit more efficient, dependable, and accessible.

“Everything is changing,” said Bjorn Radstrom, manager of service development. “Stops are changing, routes are changing, and how you get around is changing. It’s going to be a big change for everyone.”

The new spine-and-feeder system relies on major ‘primary network’ lines where buses run frequently, with buses coming to stops on these routes every five to 10 minutes during peak hours. Feeder routes, made up of community and connector routes, function in part to move people around their neighbourhoods, but also to bus riders to the primary network routes, which terminate downtown. By avoiding congested streets and downtown, these routes should, according to Winnipeg Transit, remain on time more consistently than buses on the current system.

“It will change how everybody is getting around the city,” Radstrom said. “We laid out the primary transit network … in as much of a grid as Winnipeg’s geography would allow. Reliability is the big thing that gets improved, and a lot of that comes from straighter routes. Every turn you make adds a minute to the schedule, every left turn another minute onto that, and uncertainty and delay. On frequent and frequent express and rapid transit lines, the idea is the service is so frequent you don’t have to look at a schedule. Not only does that give you a lot of freedom to travel, but also when things go wrong, it doesn’t affect you much.”

The new schedules and routes have been online for months now, so that riders can familiarize themselves with the changes ahead of time, and to compare how current commutes and new routes to regular destinations might differ. Transit staff will also be on hand at high-traffic stops through July 4 to answer questions about the changes.

“It’s important for people to try these out,” Radstrom said. “We really think this is going to improve travel for most people in Winnipeg. But there will be challenges. We’re just asking people to give it a chance. Use it for a while, whatever is going right or wrong, we want to hear from people. We really value complaints. But if you send a complaint, be specific and constructive, so we can do something with it. We are not going to get everything right on Day 1, but we want feedback to make those changes.”

The new system has also been designed to address accessibility issues, including reducing the distance between stops when transferring between buses. A number of new zones have also been added for on demand bus service, where riders can book a ride, including pickup time and location.

The overhaul to Winnipeg Transit has been in the works since 2018. The current system was developed over 50 years ago, Radstrom said, and tinkered with and added to over the years. However, travel habits have changed over time, and the city now has more data to base decision making on.

“We went out and asked questions,” Radstrom said. “We’ve heard clearly that the system doesn’t work. So we went back to the drawing board. This is one of the biggest single day changes in any transit system in the world. One of the biggest ever. But we’re following in the footsteps of other cities who have done things like this.”

Radstrom points to Edmonton and Ottawa as examples of Canadian cities who have overhauled their transit system in recent years, while Houston, Texas, and Auckland, New Zealand, served as successful international models.

“We want to make the routes more efficient, based on geography. So we bought a lot of data, overlaid that data over the draft network, and it shows we’re filling in areas where there were no routes,” Radstrom said. “Transit network reflects what people have shown us that they are doing, not just what they say they want to do.”

In terms of the big picture, Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) emphasized Winnipeg Transit users will need to be prepared for a period of adjustment once the new changes are rolled out.

“We’re hoping it will mean more frequent service on main lines, and faster trips,” Mayes said recently. “We’ll see how it goes,” he added, noting there will inevitably be pros and cons in the beginning, depending on the individual rider’s specific criteria.

Regarding his ward, Mayes said the Bonivista and Sage Creek neighbourhoods will have a couple of new routes, which he’s pleased about, as some area residents have been hoping for this for some time.

“The trade-off is there’s going to be more transferring,” he said. “Some people will say, ‘yeah there’s more frequency, but now I have to transfer.’ So, stand by as we see how this goes. In the short-term, this will be a period of adjustment,” Mayes said, noting “lots of bus stops are being removed.”

For people who do not have access to the internet, 311 is available to help riders navigate the new system. Paper maps of the new routes are also available at local libraries. For more information, visit winnipeg.ca

— with files from Simon Fuller