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NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release

Permanent Suspension of the PR Transpo Intermunicipal Transit Service

L’Orignal, June 28, 2023 — The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (“UCPR”) have announced the permanent suspension of the PR Transpo Intermunicipal Transit Service.

In a report released to Council Members earlier this morning, it was noted that the inadequate performance of the transit network, low profitability of the service, and labour challenges encountered by the project team were all factors requiring the UCPR to suspend the PR Transpo service. Due to these constraints, it had been temporarily suspended since the end of December 2022.

As a reminder, PR Transpo is a pilot project that was launched by the UCPR in 2018 with financial support from the Community Transportation Grant Program. The purpose was to determine the feasibility of such a service in rural areas. Although PR Transpo initially operated a traditional fixed-route service, passengers have been provided with an on-demand service since June 2021. As of December 2022, PR-Transpo’s on-demand service had only served 234 passengers, representing 0.2% of the regional population.

“The decision to discontinue this project was not made lightly,” said Warden Normand Riopel. “It is clear that a public transit service is required in the region, but PR Transpo, in its current form, was simply not meeting the needs of our community. We will have to consider other options to better serve our population and to offer responsible and sustainable performance.”

PR Transpo’s non-emergency medical transportation service, offered in partnership with Carefor Health & Community Services, will remain in service and is not affected by the permanent suspension of the intermunicipal transit service. For more information about this service, please call 613-932-3451 or visit the Carefor website.

If you have any questions about this suspension, please contact Geneviève Bougie, Project Manager, Economic Development and Tourism, at 613-675-4661 or by e-mail.

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Olivier Berthiaume

Conseiller principal et coordonnateur des communications
Chief of Staff and Communications Coordinator
613-675-4661
OBerthiaume@prescott-russell.on.ca
www.prescott-russell.on.ca