Gander’s town council has confirmed plans to create a future public transit service to ease the minds of residents and travellers.
Rachel Elliott
Kicker
The demand for public transportation in Gander has risen to prominence again in light of a recent plane diversion, which would have left passengers stranded at the airport if not for the kindness of local residents.
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, a passenger plane landed unexpectedly in Gander due to weather conditions in St. John’s. After landing, passengers waited on the tarmac, slowly realizing they would have to spend the night in the town.
The limited number of taxis in the town sparked concern for passengers. So, to ease their minds, Jackie Freake, assistant manager of Quality Hotel, posted a call for help on the local Facebook group Gander Connect, encouraging people to help the passengers by giving them rides to hotels, as well as back to the airport the next day.
Colleen Edwards gave a ride to four different passengers that day.
“I didn’t have to work until 1 o’clock, so I said I’ll get in my car and go on over and see if they needed any help,” Edwards said.
Edwards said a public transport service or hotel shuttles are necessary for the town because “there’s always a reason for a taxi.” She said ever since the disaster of 9/11, Gander residents can never be too sure when planes will land unexpectedly.
“I think there should be something for the people who either land here accidentally, or they’re planned on moving here,” Edwards said.
An online survey about public transport, created by the town of Gander, received a total of 301 responses – 288 of them being Gander residents. According to the survey, 34 per cent of respondents said they experienced transportation difficulties at least a few times per month, and 42 per cent said that limited transport is an issue.
Brad Hefford, chief administrative officer of Gander, said the “complexity of affordability, housing, the location of housing” was a big reason why they decided to take action.
“A lot of our housing stock is in terms of basement apartments, and those things aren’t necessarily in close proximity to services,” Hefford said.
The town official added that an increase in new Canadians was another component the town considered while making a decision to plan a public transit service.
“It’s got so many positive outcomes,” Hefford said. “It changes the way that individuals can mobilize.”
The council’s studies suggest public transit will greatly benefit seniors, youth and people without vehicle access.
“I think it’s also a real opportunity to distinguish ourselves from other communities, and provide an option that makes Gander a really liveable place for a lot of people who currently probably can’t function very conveniently without a vehicle,” Hefford said.
For 2026, the town has budgeted $100,000 for Phase 2 of the transit project. Phase 2 will involve designing routes, discussing staffing, and making recommendations on the types of busses and equipment that will be needed.
Hefford said the town is hoping a new transit system will begin serving Gander residents by early 2028.
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