Muskoka Expands Transit Amid Severe Winter Weather Alert

GRAVENHURST, Ontario — The District of Muskoka is expanding its demand-responsive transit service while grappling with severe winter weather conditions, including heavy lake-effect snow and extreme cold warnings.

Starting Jan. 13, Phase 1 of the district’s transit service expanded its coverage area, now reaching south to Rainbow Circle and north to Winhara Road and the Gravenhurst Parkway. The service, which began in Gravenhurst, uses technology to book and allocate trips based on passenger demand. Rides are curb-to-curb, with options for shared or individual trips, and fares range from $3 to $5, with free rides for children under 12 accompanied by an adult.

Lisa Marden, the district’s director of planning and community transportation, said the expansion was driven by early positive feedback. “Through this launch, we further identified several areas where there was considerable demand for service and worked with our service provider (Blaise) to reach these residents,” Marden said. The service, operated by Blaise Transit Inc., will run until March 2025, with further expansions planned throughout the year.

Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued a weather alert for the region, warning of heavy lake-effect snow with accumulations of 25 to 70 cm near Georgian Bay. Snow squalls, accompanied by westerly winds gusting up to 50 km/h, are expected to reduce visibility to near zero at times. Rapidly accumulating snow could lead to road closures and hazardous travel conditions.

Extreme cold is also a concern, with wind chill values near minus 35 degrees Celsius. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, and residents are advised to dress in layers, cover up, and check on vulnerable family members and neighbors. Pets should also be brought indoors during extreme cold.

Residents are encouraged to monitor alerts and forecasts from Environment Canada and report severe weather to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or via Twitter using #ONStorm.