The City of St. Thomas, Ontario, officially started a new project on March 18, 2026, to expand and modernize the local bus system to keep up with the community’s rapid growth. This project, known as the Railway City Transit Plan for Growth, will create a long-term roadmap to improve routes and service as more people move to the area.
Local officials are preparing for the city’s population to double to about 80,000 people by 2051. Much of this growth is expected because of the new PowerCo electric vehicle battery factory, which is creating a need for better transportation to industrial areas and through residential neighbourhoods.
The city is working with Dillon Consulting Limited to design a transit network that can handle this future demand while also moving toward a fleet of buses that do not produce tailpipe emissions. This partnership aims to connect the local bus system more effectively with regional transit options and ensure residents can get to work and services easily.
While the planning work has just begun, the city expects to present a final version of the transit plan to the council in the winter of 2027. In the meantime, the project team will be gathering information from the community through surveys and pop-up events at the local Home Show to understand what residents need from their bus service.
