Restored weekend bus route reconnects Ottawa residents to local food bank

A restored weekend bus route is helping those who rely on a local food bank access its services. CTV’s Josh Marano has the story.

For families who rely on food banks in Ottawa, simply getting there can be a challenge.

Now, a restored bus route is helping remove that barrier for people who depend on the service during weekends.

Weekend service has been restored on Route 189, reconnecting riders to Sadaqa Food Bank, one of five emergency food banks in the city. The change eases the burden for clients who were previously forced to find other ways to reach the Colonnade Road location.

Zak Khire is one of them.

Khire relies on the food bank to help get him through the month and says the loss of weekend bus service earlier this year made an already difficult situation even harder.

“As someone who takes the buses or who relies on OC Transpo, this is actually a plus for me,” Khire says. “I had to walk all the way here and it wasn’t easy.”

Earlier this year, weekend service on Route 189 was eliminated as part of OC Transpo’s ‘New Ways to Bus’ network changes. That cut off direct transit access to the Sadaqa Food Bank, which operates exclusively on Saturdays and Sundays.

For Khire, the walk could take more than half-an-hour each way – often in poor weather and while carrying food home.

“When it comes to rain and cold, the walk is not a walk in the park,” he says.

“It’s not five or ten minutes. It’s more than half an hour, and its way more difficult when I’m carrying food.”

Sadaqa Food Bank manager Salim Jam says many clients faced similar challenges, especially those without access to a vehicle.

“Some of them bring their suitcases,” Jam says. “They’re carrying 50 or 60 pounds of food all the way to different locations.”

For months, families without vehicles were left with few options, including paying for taxis or Ubers.

Starting Sunday Dec. 21, Route 189 is back and officials say the service is here to stay.

Ward 9, Knoxdale-Merivale Councillor Sean Devine says the decision came after months of discussions with OC Transpo, focusing not just on ridership numbers, but on the real-world impact of the service cut.

“Sometimes making fixes is not just about the number of riders,” Devine says. “It’s about the experience of the people who have lost that bus.”

OC Transpo General Manager of Transit Service Troy Charter confirmed the restored service is a permanent change, at least through the next scheduled service update.

“It’s a permanent change,” Charter says. “It goes to April because that’s our next service change, but we’re not planning on removing the service.”

“When we hear from residents, communities and work with councillors we can make those adjustments,” he adds. “We heard for the last couple months that this was really impacting this area, and we were able to put that in place for this service change.”

While Sadaqa is a halal food bank, Jam stresses it serves anyone in need, regardless of background or belief.

“It’s not just for Muslims, it is for all religions, regardless of colour or skin, anybody can come,” Jam says.

Buses on Route 189 now run hourly from morning to evening, making trips to the food banks less of a hassle, especially for seniors and others with mobility challenges.

“There’s a lot of seniors usually,” Khire says. “It’s going to be easier for them to take the bus instead of having to walk there and back.”

In addition to restoring access to the food bank, Route 189 also improves weekend service along Chesterton Drive, benefiting nearby schools, parks, housing complexes, and community facilities.

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