MiWay’s plan to move to a grid system over the next five years has some councillors questioning why their wards have seemingly been forgotten.

City staff presented a five-year plan for improved local transit at Wednesday’s general committee meeting, with emphasis on frequency, efficiency and improved connectivity with GO service. Moving from the current radial design to a grid system, MiWay staff is pushing to double express routes and build a more integrated network. That network, however, doesn’t include express service in the northwest part of the city.

“This doesn’t give me comfort,” said Ward 9 councillor Pat Saito.

A map presented to committee shows no frequent service from the Lisgar GO station on weekdays or weekends, nor is there any express service going down Erin Mills Parkway.

The same can be said of service to the Lisgar GO station, with no extended service planned to get riders to the nearest transit way station.

“If we want to get residents in the northwest part of the city using the transit way, we need to provide frequent service.”

Ward 10 councillor Sue McFadden said she was “extremely disappointed” with the report, adding there are 75,000 people living west of Winston Churchill Boulevard, and no express service planned for the area.

Mary-Lou Johnstone, manager of business development for the city, said there will be regular bus service to these areas, but no express routes as of yet. She added, the report allows MiWay service to be reviewed annually and staff would try to implement any feasible recommendations.

Ward 1 councillor Jim Tovey was also sceptical of the presentation, as service to the Lakeshore corridor was based on current population, and did not forecast the 20,000 to 40,000 people expected to move to the area in the next decade.

“This area will be a major transit way, with a mobility hub and I’d like to see service improved, as do my residents,” he said, dissatisfied with service planned every 11 to 15 minutes.