The City of Cornwall is inviting residents to share their thoughts on the future of local bus service at a series of upcoming public open houses. The sessions are part of a city-wide review aimed at shaping a new long-term plan for the public transit system.
Residents can attend the open houses on April 22, 23, and 24, 2026. These meetings will focus on gathering feedback about the current transit network, which serves approximately 54,346 residents. For those unable to attend in person, the city is also accepting written comments until April 14, 2026, to be considered ahead of a related planning meeting.
The review follows the city’s decision to hire Watt Consulting Group in December 2025 to develop a new Transit Master Plan. The project, which has a budget of nearly $150,000, comes at a time when city officials are re-evaluating how to best serve the community. The transit system has faced recent challenges, including declining ridership in 2025, when 846,000 riders used the service—short of the city’s goal of one million.
Earlier this year, the city also discontinued Express Route 71, a bus line frequently used by St. Lawrence College students, citing budget constraints and lower passenger numbers. Additionally, the city’s process for gathering public input on these matters has shifted; in February 2026, the city council dissolved the Transit Advisory Committee in favour of a new Transit Master Plan Working Group. While this change aims to streamline the planning process, some council members have expressed concern that the new structure may result in less direct input from transit users.
Currently, the transit system operates four conventional routes, a community bus, supplementary service to the local business park, and a specialized service for people with disabilities, with no service currently offered on Sundays. As part of the 2026 budget, the city has also planned for a slight increase in fares and the replacement of four specialized buses, backed by funding from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the Canada Community Building Fund.
