Category: Public Works

Today, the City of Thompson celebrated the arrival of two new 20-passenger ARBOC Spirit of Mobility transit buses which will provide the opportunity for a more reliable, safe and comfortable mode of transportation for Thompson residents. The addition of new, smaller transit buses will replace older, full-sized coaches making transit services more efficient and sustainable in the community.

The new buses are more proportional to the City of Thompson’s transit ridership than the previous full-sized transit buses, seating up to 20 people, with standing room available for more riders. Residents with reduced mobility can utilize this transit option for access to services in and around the City of Thompson.

The new buses will also include GPS systems which will help city planners assess the efficiency of existing transit routes, and in the future, allow residents to track buses in the city in real-time.

The Government of Canada and Government of Manitoba have each contributed toward the total eligible project costs through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). The PTIF program provides short-term funding to help accelerate municipal investments to support the rehabilitation of transit systems, new capital projects, and planning for future transit expansion to foster long-term transit plans.

Revisions to Transit Routes Revisited

With the arrival of the new transit buses, the City of Thompson will also be revisiting bus routes in the city to make transit services more cost-efficient and improve access to transit services for mobility-impaired passengers. City planners will be working with Maple Bus Lines to improve on the first revision that was rolled out at the beginning of 2020, which was rolled back following resident concerns and logistical issues with the route.

quotes

“The arrival of these new buses will enhance transit service and encourage Thompson residents to choose a greener and more efficient way to commute. Investing in public transit supports efficient, sustainable and eco-responsible transportation, and helps improve connections between people and communities. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”

The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Our government is a proud supporter of public transit and pleased to partner on the purchase of new transit buses for the City of Thompson. Strategic investments in public transit infrastructure improves accessibility and the quality of life in Manitoba communities.”

The Honourable Reg Helwer, Minister of Central Services

“Improvements to our transit system have been a long time coming. Public transit that works well is an important part of an accessible and inclusive city.”

Colleen Smook, Mayor, City of Thompson

Mayor and Council are hosting a Public Hearing on February 11, 2021 to review the budgeted rates for the City of Thompson’s Special Service Levy, which covers the repair of private residential water breaks between a resident’s property line and one meter away from a home’s foundation.

The average service break repair costs roughly $6000 to repair, and can cost up to $15, 000 depending on the complexity of excavation and repair work. The service levy, in place for almost a decade, helps reduce the risk of aging infrastructure to an individual homeowner by distributing the cost of repairs across the entire community.

Below are the proposed Special Service Levy rates for 2021-2025, as being discussed at the Public Hearing:

If the rates are based on previous years, why are increases planned for the next five years?

The rates shown are estimates: it’s better to plan for a higher cost and have budget room left over than to plan for a lower cost and come up short at the end of the year. Therefore, the City bases projections assuming an 8% increase to repair costs every year.

If the cost of service repairs is lower than expected in the previous years, then it will be lower than the fees shown above. If they are higher than expected, there will be a public hearing held before officially amending the plan.

Though the City of Thompson budgets for increases, the actual levy rate fluctuates every year:

What’s The Difference Between Private Insurance and the Special Service Levy?

The Special Service Levy is a substitute to insurance services offered by many private insurance providers. There are advantages and disadvantages to both:

Don’t My Property Taxes Cover Water Breaks Already?

Property taxes help pay for the administration of public property, like water mains, sewer mains, roads, and the staff employed to maintain and operate this property.

Service lines on private property are just that: private. In other municipalities, private homeowners are responsible for the full cost of service line repair and remediation in addition to their regular property taxes.

I have something to say. How do I register for the Public Hearing?

You can attend the meeting remotely through Zoom by clicking here.

You can register to attend the meeting in person or to make a presentation for or against, by calling 204-677-7938 or emailing tparobec@thompson.ca.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we encourage presenters to register to attend or present to the meeting remotely if they are able.

***Update, September 14, 2020:

Public Works crews were able to repair the Princeton Drive/Purdue Place intersection themselves, so instead, we’ll be paving part of Weir Road instead!

We will also be addressing the Thompson Drive access to City Centre Mall in lieu of the Westwood Drive/Thompson Drive intersection. Though both sections of road need attention, the mall access is in more urgent need of care.

Original Article:

The first layers of asphalt went down on Thompson Drive this week, but we have even better news heading into the weekend!

With some tight project management from our Manager of Infrastructure, the Thompson Drive paving project has come in at almost $200, 000 under budget. That means we can pave an additional five intersections this fall!

As there is limited time remaining in the construction season, completion of additional roadwork will depend on the amount of rain we continue to receive into the fall: paving cannot take place in the rain.

However, if the weather cooperates, our plan is to repair the following areas:

• Thompson Drive/Westwood Drive intersection
• Westwood Drive between Arctic Drive and Partridge Crescent (southbound lane)
• Waterloo Crescent/Nelson Road Intersection
• Princeton Drive/Purdue Place Intersection
• Elizabeth Drive (Highway 6/City Hall Access)

Our original road renewal plan had to be scaled back quite a bit when bid prices came in much higher than previous years. We’re really excited to recover a portion of our original vision this year!