Beth Houston, chair of Gravenhurst Against Poverty (G.A.P.), says at least three people have walked from Gravenhurst to the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge for an appointment.
According to Google Maps, it’s a nearly 18 kilometre walk from G.A.P.’s office at 290 Muskoka Rd. N. to the hospital site in Bracebridge.
Houston says G.A.P. has a program with Bala Taxi to help people move around Gravenhurst. “When they need to get somewhere in town, they will contact us for a taxi card and we will give each two taxi cards a month,” she explains.
However, the program only runs within Gravenhurst because Houston says it would be too costly to have it run throughout Muskoka or even just in South Muskoka.
“We don’t have a huge budget for giving out taxi cards,” adds Houston.
When the program started a few years ago, she estimates it cost around $1,000 a month. Now, Houston says it costs nearly $3,500.
“Part of that is because the word is spreading that we have free taxi cards available but, I think, the biggest part of the problem is we have no other way for people to get around town,” says Houston.
While she points out that the District of Muskoka’s Corridor 11 Bus is available, Houston says the $7 round trip fare (or $5 for one way) is too much for some who are already struggling to put food on the table.
The district does offer a free transit pass to those who live in Muskoka and fit the “low income” criteria by the federal government.
The district has a list of the other transportation options in Muskoka, including transit systems in Bracebridge and Huntsville.
“Life is not easy when you don’t have money,” says Houston.
While Gravenhurst is beginning to work on implementing a transportation system and the district could have a “demand-responsive” transit system in place by the end of 2024, Houston says “the situation all around is getting worse” when it comes to transportation.
Houston adds that while some benefit from housing programs that give them a place to stay, sometimes the motel they’re put up in is not near town, compounding the transportation issue.
“We need to appreciate how much people are struggling,” she says.
