City of Sarnia completes range of upgrades to improve transit system
The city of Sarnia, Ontario, has completed several upgrades to improve its system, including modernizing its transit facilities, expanding and upgrading its transit fleet with 20 new buses and improving the reliability and accessibility of public transportation services.
These upgrades were made possible through an investment of more than C$4.7 million (US$3.4 million) from the government of Canada, more than C$3.7 million (US$2.7 million) from the government of Ontario and more than C$2.7 million (US$1.9 million) from the city of Sarnia.
"Under the leadership of Premier [Doug] Ford, our government is protecting Ontario by making a historic C$70 billion (US$50.3 billion) investment in public transit, helping connect more people to jobs, housing and opportunities,” said Ontario Minister of Transportation Prambmeet Sarkaria. “The investments we are making in Sarnia, including a new transit terminal, upgraded transit facilities and an expanded fleet, are helping deliver safer, more reliable and more accessible transit services while ensuring residents have dependable transportation options for years to come."
The completed projects included:
- Upgrades to the transit garage: Updates included a roof replacement, replacement of two fuel pumps and three storage tanks and the replacement of 18 garage doors.
- Construction of a new transit terminal: The new terminal hosts two enclosed shelters and parking for eight buses.
- Replacement and expansion of the transit fleet: The fleet upgrade included replacing aging vehicles and expanding the fleet with two new electric buses and 18 new diesel buses.
The city says these improvements have enhanced transit safety, reliability, accessibility and service capacity while providing residents with improved amenities and a more efficient public transportation experience.
"Investments like this are helping Sarnia build a more modern, reliable and accessible transit system that meets the needs of our growing community. By upgrading facilities and expanding our fleet, we are improving the passenger experience and ensuring residents have access to safe and efficient transportation options for years to come," said Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong Parliament Member Marilyn Gladu.
About the Author
Noah Kolenda
Associate Editor
Noah Kolenda is a recent graduate from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism with a master’s degree in health and science reporting. Kolenda also specialized in data journalism, harnessing the power of Open Data projects to cover green transportation in major U.S. cities. Currently, he is an associate editor for Mass Transit magazine, where he aims to fuse his skills in data reporting with his experience covering national policymaking and political money to deliver engaging, future-focused transit content.
Prior to his position with Mass Transit, Kolenda interned with multiple Washington, D.C.-based publications, where he delivered data-driven reporting on once-in-a-generation political moments, runaway corporate lobbying spending and unnoticed election records.

