Central Manitoulin terminates relationship with UMIT, says municipality is owed six figures
MANITOULIN—While all agree that United Manitoulin Islands Transit (UMIT) was a noble idea, and many have come to depend on the public transit bus service that linked Island communities together, a recent decision by the Municipality of Central Manitoulin to withdraw its hosting of the service has pulled the rug out from under the operation.
“We received word from the sponsor, Central Manitoulin, that they will be ceasing sponsorship of UMIT Inc.,” confirmed UMIT Chair Marie McGregor-Pitawanakwat. “As a result UMIT will be ceasing operations at end-of-business day on December 16.”
Central Manitoulin Mayor Richard Stephens confirmed that the municipality had withdrawn from their support of UMIT. As to whether the service would continue, “that is up to them,” said Mayor Stephens.
As to the reason for the municipality’s withdrawal from the collaboration, Mayor Stephens said the decision was necessary. “UMIT got itself a little bit too much into our bank account,” he said. Pressed on how much the deficit with UMIT was, Mayor Stephens would only confirm that it ran to “six number figures.”
“We had a meeting with the Ministry of Transportation and the executive of UMIT and it did not turn out to be positive,” said Mayor Stephens. “It’s unfortunate. It was a good idea but in the end, they were not able to pull it together with ridership. At the end of the day, it has to be sustainable. We stood by it as long, perhaps even longer, than we should have.”
“It is unfortunate,” agreed Ms. McGregor-Pitawanakwat. “There are major client groups who depend on the service, Kenjgewin Teg students for one. They relied on the bus to get to and from classes and the school will have to come up with an alternate plan as the bus service will no longer be available by the end of the year.”
Ms. McGregor-Pitawanakwat noted UMIT’s agreement with the carrier, AJ Bus Lines, calls for three months’ notice of the end of the agreement. As to what that means going forward, she was uncertain. “We have not been able to get a hold of them yet,” she said.
The UMIT chair pointed out that the loss of the service would have an outsized impact on the disadvantaged. “This will disadvantage those who do not have a vehicle of their own,” she said. “With two-and-a-half years of pandemic, a lot of expectations and plans have failed.”
Ms. McGregor-Pitawanakwat said that she was hopeful that some other plan could come about. “In Ontario, people have a right to public transit,” she asserted. “We need to keep in mind that although UMIT will disappear, we do not know what manifestation will take its place. Who knows?”
