Nov. 27, 2025: Winter 2026 Transit Service Changes

To	Mayor and Members of Council, Chair and Members of the Transit Committee
From	Troy Charter, Interim General Manager, Transit Services Department
Subject	Winter 2026 Transit Service Changes
Date	November 27, 2025

The purpose of this memo is to provide an overview of OC Transpo’s winter service changes, effective Sunday, December 21, 2025. Regular schedule adjustments take place four times a year – spring, summer, fall and winter – and memos are provided in advance of each new schedule period.

The winter service change includes the following:

• Service improvements
• Seasonal service changes
• Service Improvements

Service adjustments for construction

• Routes 17 and 25 will be extended to follow their long-term alignment, continuing further into Wateridge via Hemlock Road; service will be removed from Mikinak Road.
• Short trips on Route 24 that currently begin on Shefford Road or end on Loyola Avenue will be extended eastward to start or end at the future Montréal Station, seven days per week.
• Starting on Monday, January 5, 2026, four trips will be added to Route 26. These trips will leave Blair Station at 9:45 am, 10:45 am, 11:45 am, and 12:50 pm. Trip times may vary slightly based on final schedules.
• Route 45 evening frequency on weekdays will be increased to every 15 minutes until 8:30 pm.
• The two special Sunday trips on Route 53 to and from Antares Drive will be modified to bring service closer to the Gurdwara.
• A new trip will be added to Route 70 on weekdays, starting at Limebank Station at 5:27 am to improve early morning travel options.
• Alternating peak period trips on Route 86 will be adjusted to serve destinations on Colonnade Road, operating every 30 minutes. With this change, peak period service to Antares Drive on Route 86 will be adjusted from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes.
• On weekdays, two northbound early morning trips on Route 105 that currently start at Uplands Station will be extended to start at Limebank Station to improve early morning travel options from Riverside South before O-Train Line 2 service starts. These trips will leave Limebank Station at 5 am and 5:28 am.
• On Saturdays and Sundays, early morning service on Route 110 from Citigate Drive to Greenboro Station will be modified to serve Bowesville and Leitrim stations. Additionally, on Saturdays, these early morning trips will be extended to Hurdman Station to provide a direct connection to O-Train Line 1 before O-Train Line 2 service begins. Weekday early morning service between Citigate and Hurdman Station via Limebank, Bowesville, and Leitrim stations was implemented prior to the winter service change, on October 20, 2025.
• All trips on Route 163 will be adjusted to start on Hazeldean Road at Carp Road. Service will continue to end on Kittiwake Drive at Sundew Court.
• Saturday and Sunday service will be added on Route 189 to operate every hour between approximately 7 am and 7 pm.
• Route 261 will be extended to begin on Hazeldean Road at Carp Road in the morning, and end on Kittiwake Drive at Dew Gate in the afternoon.
• Departure times of some weekday trips will be adjusted slightly on Routes 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 74, 75, 265, 275, and 279 to improve the spacing of departures from Eagleson Station in the morning peak period and from Tunney’s Pasture Station in the afternoon peak period.
• As part of the regular review of schedules to improve on-time performance and service reliability for customers, schedule adjustments will be made to Routes 41 and 265 on weekdays; the number of trips will not change.
• Minor changes to trip times will be made on some school trips to better align with bell times and operational requirements. Changes to school service have been made based on observed ridership levels and in consultation with school boards and their student transportation authorities. Full details will be available on octranspo.com.

Seasonal Service Changes

Severe Storm Schedule for Buses

• OC Transpo will implement a Severe Storm Schedule for buses on weekdays when 31 cm of snow or more is forecast, or under other severe weather conditions.
• When a Severe Storm Schedule is in effect, bus service will follow a reduced schedule to provide a safer and more reliable service during major storms.
• Customers will be able to use OC Transpo’s Travel Planner to see how their trip may change when the Severe Storm Schedule is in effect.
• Many articulated buses will be replaced with 40-foot and double decker buses to improve service reliability.
• Para Transpo and O-Train service levels will not be reduced, but customers should still plan ahead and expect delays.
• When a severe storm is forecast for a Saturday or Sunday, the Severe Storm Schedule will not be implemented, but some articulated buses will be replaced with 40-foot and double-decker buses to improve service reliability.
• OC Transpo will implement a robust communications plan to inform customers in advance of any bus schedule changes due to severe weather. We will communicate to customers through octranspo.com, text alerts, a public service announcement, social media posts, and transit information screens at stations.
• For more information on OC Transpo’s Severe Storm Schedule, customers can visit octranspo.com.

Holidays

• Christmas Week – Monday, December 22 to Wednesday, December 24, 2025 – Bus service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with peak period service every six minutes. O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. School service including 600-series routes will not operate as schools will be closed on these days.
• Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25, 2025 – Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2, and 4 will operate on a Sunday schedule. Shopper Route 304 will not operate.
• Boxing Day – Friday, December 26, 2025 – Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2, and 4 will operate on a Saturday schedule, with additional resources available to supplement busy bus routes as required.
• New Year’s Week – Monday, December 29, Tuesday, December 30 and Friday, January 2 – Bus service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with peak period service every six minutes. O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. School service including 600-series routes will not operate as schools will be closed on these days.
• New Year’s Eve – Wednesday, December 31, 2025 – Bus service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with additional resources available to supplement busy routes as required. O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced Friday schedule from 5 am to 2 am, with peak period service every six minutes. O-Train Line 2 will operate on an extended schedule from 6 am to 1 am. Line 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. Para Transpo will operate until 3 am. Free transit service will be provided after 6 pm on trains, buses, and Para Transpo, courtesy of Safer Roads Ottawa and MADD Ottawa and Area.
• New Year’s Day – Thursday, January 1, 2026 – Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2, and 4 will operate on a Sunday schedule. Shopper Route 304 will not operate.
• Family Day – Monday, February 16, 2026 – Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2, and 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. Shopper Route 301 will not operate. Service on the 600-series routes will not operate as schools will be closed on this day; however, school trips on regular routes will operate.
• March Break – Monday, March 16, to Friday, March 20, 2026 – Bus service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with peak period service every six minutes. O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. School service including 600-series routes will not operate as schools will be closed on these days.
• Good Friday – Friday, April 3, 2026 – Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2, and 4 will operate on a Sunday schedule. Shopper Route 305 will not operate.
• Easter Monday – Monday, April 6, 2026 – Bus service will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. O-Train Line 1 will operate on a reduced weekday schedule with peak period service every six minutes. O-Train Lines 2 and 4 will operate on a normal weekday schedule. School service including 600-series routes will not operate as schools will be closed on this day.

Service Adjustments for Construction

As a result of road reconstruction and other infrastructure projects, the following routes may experience delays, detours, and additional travel time:

• Richmond Road at Bayshore Drive - Structure Rehabilitation
  • Routes 11, 57, 81, and 691 will be detoured when exiting Bayshore Station, via Holly Acres and Richmond roads, to accommodate work in the median of Richmond Road. The start date has not been confirmed, but work is expected to occur over a two- month period during the winter service period.
• New Orchard – Richmond Road to Ambleside Drive
  • On December 22, New Orchard Avenue is expected to re-open between Ambleside Drive and Richmond Road. At this that time, Routes 11 and 153 will return to their regular route via Ambleside Drive, and the temporary turnaround loop at Ambleside Drive and New Orchard Avenue will be removed.

Customer Information

Details on the winter service changes will be communicated to customers throughout December. OC Transpo has several customer-friendly applications and tools to assist customers in accessing timely information about our service while on the go. These include texting 560560 for real-time bus schedule information, downloading the Transit app, signing up for text alerts to receive the latest information, checking transit information screens at many major stations, as well as visiting octranspo.com. Real-time information is also available by calling 613-560-1000 plus the bus stop number.

Once the winter service changes begin on December 21, customers can find up-to-date schedules and real-time information by using these applications and tools, visiting the website octranspo.com, or contacting the OC Transpo Customer Service Centre at 613-560-5000.

Staff will continue to evaluate service changes and make adjustments based on changing travel needs, customer and staff feedback, as well as ridership data and key performance indicators.

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Pat Scrimgeour, Director, Transit Customer Systems and Planning, at extension 52205.

Original signed by
Troy Charter

cc:Senior Leadership Team
Transit Services Departmental Leadership Team
Director, Public Information and Media Relations