What is Functional Transit Winnipeg?

Functional Transit Winnipeg is a grassroots non-profit made up  of Winnipeggers who volunteer their time to research and advocate for improvements to public transit in our city.

Our mission is to advocate for a viable public transit system that is frequent, accessible and affordable. A viable transit system is one that is competitive with other modes of transportation in terms of overall trip times and accesses diverse destinations.

Functional Transit originally formed to challenge the configuration chosen for Southwest Transitway. We argued that the route was impractical for transit riders. We argued that if the city was unwilling to put sufficient resources into building rapid transit in locations that prioritized access to diverse detinations (ie on Pembina Highway) then frequency on existing routes could be an effective alternative.

Our ongoing goal is to push the city to invest in higher frequency transit service and to ensure that when transit corridors are built, they are accessible and provide high value for transit riders.

We welcome participation from anyone. We believe that we can effect positive change in this city and your support is greatly appreciated.

How you can get involved

The most important thing you can do is call your councillor and tell them you want a frequent, accessible and affordable transit network.

Here are some ways you can get involved with Functional Transit:

FTW Board of Directors

Kyle Owens (President)

Kyle believes that a robust public transit system is an extraordinary tool to combat poverty and climate change while increasing the standard of living for all. He is proud to participate alongside such dedicated and passionate advocates for the public good. Born and raised in Winnipeg, he is an Education student at the University of Winnipeg.

kyle.owens@functionaltransit.com

Navoda Rillagodage (Vice-President)

As an international student Navoda is well aware of the financial battles different social groups face. She has been a transit rider in Canada for over four years and believes that a functional transit system indeed enhances the quality of life for all its beneficiaries. A transit system should be reliable, frequent, accessible, equitable and safe for all its users. As such, she’s appreciative and proud to be a part of Functional Transit’s board of directors as a way to strengthen Winnipeg’s public transit system. Navoda has a background in civil engineering with a focus on transportation engineering.

Evan Krosney

Evan (he/him) is a transit user and avid cyclist in Winnipeg, passionate about urbanism, environmental and economic justice, and building a more equitable transit system for our city. He believes that cities should be built for people, not just cars, and sees a functional transit system that is frequent, affordable, accessible, and efficient as an important part of that. He has worked as a political organizer at all three levels of government, and holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Winnipeg.

Brian Pincott (Secretary)

After 23 years of living in Calgary, Brian moved to Winnipeg in 2019. He grew up in Quebec and attended university in Nova Scotia. Since really discovering the power of transit in Calgary, where he was a daily rider for 10 years, he has advocated for transit to be the backbone of city growth. He worked to develop the BRT network in Calgary, which opened as soon as he left. He is the Executive Director of Vélo Canada Bikes.

Daniel Denton (Treasurer)

A recent graduate of the University of Winnipeg, Daniel grew up in St. Andrews, MB and spent his years in university commuting to Winnipeg by bus. With his UPass, Daniel navigated the city with ease as his intercity route connected with Winnipeg transit. The Selkirk bus route was soon cancelled, and his community was left with no transit service. Now working in downtown, he advocates for underserviced communities within Winnipeg and for access to affordable, frequent transit options for students.

Dilpreet Mathauda

Daniel Muller