Community advocates are questioning whether OC Transpo’s plans to increase security at Rideau Station will make transit safer, arguing the agency is focusing too heavily on enforcement rather than the underlying issues affecting riders.
The concern comes after the transit committee received an update Wednesday on OC Transpo’s Public Safety Strategy report, a multi-year framework developed following several incidents on the transit network in 2025.
According to the report, the strategy was intended to strengthen public safety and enhance rider perceptions of security on the transit network. It was built around eight pillars, including increased visibility, environmental adjustments, partnerships with Ottawa Police Service and community collaboration.
“The system must both be safe and feel safe and secure in order to fulfil its purpose as a viable transportation option,” the report states.
‘This really seems like a bit of a cosmetic sprucing up. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done for the transit system as a whole.’
— William Van Geest, executive director, Ecology Ottawa
Among the strategy’s most visible proposals was the Rideau Station revitalization project. Planned changes include improved cleaning, additional public art, updated signage, modifications to CCTV cameras, the removal of electrical outlets and “a dedicated Special Constable community space within Rideau station.” Public washroom upgrades are also planned as part of the city’s broader ByWard Market revitalization efforts.
But some advocacy organizations say the emphasis on increased visibility and enforcement missed the larger issues affecting riders.
William van Geest, executive director of Ecology Ottawa — an environmental advocacy organization — said Rideau Station needs improvements, but argued the current plans appear largely superficial.
“This really seems like a bit of a cosmetic sprucing up. There’s a lot more work that needs to be done for the transit system as a whole.”
Van Geest questioned whether a special constable office would do much to improve the rider experience, arguing that service quality remains a more pressing concern. “What really will get people to use transit is reliability and frequency. Affordability also plays a role, too, but those are the main factors,” he said.
Alex Stratas, a board member with the grassroots advocacy organization Horizon Ottawa expressed similar concerns.
Stratas said the city should prioritize housing, public health and outreach programs rather than relying primarily on increased enforcement.
“We’re worried about how this will actually criminalize massive populations, who are already deeply criminalized, without even providing wraparound solutions to these problems,” she said.
According to Stratas, addressing safety concerns requires more than simply increasing police presence.
“Police aren’t even fully equipped to deal with mental health breakdowns and drug abuse breakdowns, and frankly, it shouldn’t be their job,” she said.
OC Transpo’s report stated the agency was developing a partnership with the city’s Community and Social Services Department that would pair outreach work with special constables during proactive patrols. It was also exploring collaboration with the Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response program, known as ANCHOR, to help support people experiencing homelessness and those facing addiction and mental health challenges.
Construction on the Rideau Station upgrades was expected to continue through the year, with the special constable office and public washroom improvements expected to be completed later in 2026.
