Ontario launches first all-electric on-demand transit system

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury (BWG), north of Toronto, has officially rolled out Ontario’s first fully electric, on-demand public transit service.

The new system replaces BWG’s fixed-route buses with a demand-responsive model that offers door-to-door service via a mobile app, allowing residents to travel anywhere in town at standard transit fares.

The service forms part of BWG’s broader strategy to modernise urban mobility and align with long-term smart city goals.

“[BWG] strategically partnered with Argo Corporation to implement the Argo Smart Routing on-demand system, as this collaboration represents a pivotal step towards modern service delivery methods for transit and enhancing urban mobility,” Paul Dubniak, Transportation Technologist, Community Services, BWG, told Cities Today.

The project supports BWG’s 2031 Transit Plan and Traffic Mitigation Strategy, both of which were developed through community consultations and technical assessments.

“The insights gained informed the selection of technologies and services that would best serve the community’s evolving mobility needs,” said Dubniak.

The all-electric fleet, which connects with GO Transit and Simcoe County Linx, adjusts routes in real time based on demand. And municipal staff are using operational data to monitor performance and inform ongoing service improvements.

To assess how the system is performing, BWG is developing a set of key performance indicators.

“At a high level we will be reviewing: ridership levels, operational efficiency, integration success, [and] user satisfaction,” Dubniak said.

Findings from the evaluation will be shared through the Town’s involvement in the Ontario Public Transit Association (OPTA) and the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA).

Real-time data generated by the service is also being used to support planning and decision-making across the municipality.

“Real-time data utilisation will be used for: dynamic service adjustments, performance monitoring, [and] infrastructure planning,” said Dubniak.

These insights will feed into updates of the Town’s Official Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and Transit Plan, and be shared across departments to support coordinated urban planning.

The project also reflects BWG’s broader focus on public-private partnerships to deliver innovation.

“The public-private partnership model offers unique pathways for civic innovations,” said Dubniak. “In addition to the Argo partnership, the town has demonstrated a commitment to fostering innovation through initiatives like the Bradford Catalyst Center, which aims to support business start-ups and entrepreneurs.”

Image: Argo