Advocacy matters and it can lead to wins even with losses elsewhere.

We discuss the expansion of the R4 RapidBus in Metro Vancouver, the return of late-night bus service in Waterloo, Ontario, and a survey performed by Abacus around support for ALTO's high speed rail service between Toronto and Quebec City.

Damian Mikhail is a Waterloo community organizer, deeply focused on activating young people in politics. Getting his start in municipal politics as founder and president of the University of Waterloo NDP Club, he spearheaded two student transit coalitions that protected Waterloo from cuts to off-peak Ion service and brought Night Transit to the city. At time of recording, he is at the tail end of his term as President of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association.

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Student advocacy saves evening ION LRT service
https://uwaterloo.ca/news/environment/student-advocacy-saves-evening-transit-service

GRT bringing back late night bus in Waterloo after advocacy
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/late-night-loop-route-91-grand-river-transit-university-district-1.7184466

R4 expansion in Metro Vancouver, linking North Vancouver and Burnaby
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/north-shore-metrotown-expanded-rapidbus-9.7157034

TriTAG
Website: https://www.tritag.ca/
Instagram & Bluesky: @tritag.ca

Damien:
@MikhailDamian for Twitter
@damian7m for Instagram

Abacus Data Survey on ALTO HSR Support
https://www.altno.ca/_files/ugd/f1a60d_f91a3f0ada144cb981f03a0da603e347.pdf

Episode 5 - Advocacy wins and setbacks (with Damian)

In 2025, both Metro Vancouver and Philadelphia faced tremendous budget cuts only to have them cancelled at the last minute through the age-old method of kicking the can down the road.

We're joined by Justin Roczniak, one of the hosts of Well There's Your Problem podcast where we discuss not only the budget troubles transit agencies face, but calamities such as trolley poles that have no business being used in places they don't belong or the current state of affairs with the bus manufacturing industry in North America.

This episode will be a bit chaotic due to our audio recording software having a mind of its own. Please excuse any weirdness with how parts of the episode are segued!

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Justin's links:
https://www.wtyppod.com/
https://bsky.app/profile/donoteat.bsky.social
https://www.youtube.com/user/donoteat01

https://www.transitforwardphilly.org/
https://blvdsubway.com/

Mayor Chow Announces Phase 1 TSP for Lines 5 and 6
https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1rqd87j/transit_signal_priority_update/

https://ontariotrafficman.wordpress.com/

Metrolinx Documents Leaked: Series by Jack Hauen:

 * Shorter, more frequent GO train plan ‘unlikely to materialize’: leaked document
   * https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/shorter-more-frequent-go-train-plan-unlikely-to-materialize-leaked-document-12023949
 * Metrolinx could run first electric GO trains in 2036: leaked document
   * https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/metrolinx-could-run-first-electric-go-trains-in-2036-leaked-document-12019017
 * GO trains in ‘poor’ condition and could ‘begin to fail’ in 2026, says leaked report
   * https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/go-trains-in-poor-condition-and-could-begin-to-fail-in-2026-says-leaked-report-12011777

Three door buses for Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-new-solaris-trolley-bus-three-doors

Episode 4 - What can we learn from SEPTA and Philly? (with Justin Roczniak)

While a Canadian did not make it on a round trip from Earth to the Moon just yet, the Eglinton Crosstown or simply "Line 5" did in fact finally open! Joined by August from TTCriders, we discuss our first impressions and how monumental this is for the Greater Toronto Area.

Denis talks about his time travelling across warm and sunny Mexico while Rodney speaks about his simultaneous visit to Halifax, which admittedly was nowhere near as warm.

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Learn more about August!
https://bsky.app/profile/auguststreet.ca
https://www.auguststreet.ca
https://bsky.app/profile/ttcriders.bsky.social
https://www.ttcriders.ca

Olivia Chow’s Thread on signal priority https://www.threads.com/@mayoroliviachow/post/DVHTrvbEqzh?xmt=AQF0OQVPeUKbmxz3XcQnAIMwRXtrl8GEL8-9HZMayk6ZlA
Canada Public Transit Fund cut by $5 billion https://environmentaldefence.ca/2026/02/02/statement-5-billion-in-transit-cuts-a-huge-step-backwards/
Halifax Transit Advocacy Group: It’s More Than Buses https://morethanbuses.ca/
Activate Transit Windsor Essex https://activatetransitwindsoressex.ca/
HFX by Bike https://www.youtube.com/@hfxbybike
Denis’s Thread about Mexico https://bsky.app/profile/denisagar.bsky.social/post/3megqagnqis2a
Jonathan English’s report for CSA for the show notes:  https://www.csagroup.org/article/public-policy/making-the-grade-recommendations-for-addressing-the-high-cost-of-canadas-transit-infrastructure/



Episode 3 - Talking Mexico, Halifax, and Eglinton Crosstown (with August)

Nearly every city in the country that doesn't experience rain all winter has been inundated with so much snow and it has brought problems to transit riders especially in Southern Ontario. 

We're also joined by our guest, Reece Martin of RMTransit, where we discuss the nuances and challenges of building a transit advocacy movement, culture, and education. Plus we also provide the big reveal: what is a "dwell time"?

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Snow Clearing:

 * Grand River Transit working to enhance bus stop snow removal times
   * https://www.cambridgetoday.ca/local-news/grand-river-transit-working-to-enhance-bus-stop-snow-removal-times-11765595?ref=tritag.ca
 * Toronto residents are frustrated with slush-filled sidewalks, city responds
   * https://nowtoronto.com/news/toronto-frustrated-slush-filled-sidewalks/

Vancouver Broadway Subway Bus Detour (Instagram Explainer) - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUCNt3Oj794/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

RPA (Regional Plan Association for the Tri-State Area) Triboro Line/Interborough Express - https://rpa.org/work/campaigns/ibx

Rider’s Alliance (NYC) - https://www.ridersalliance.org/

Transit Engineering & Planning: Needs and Perspectives in Canada - https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/PCEEA/article/view/19671

Reece Martin - https://reecemartin.ca

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/dwelltime.ca

Episode 2 - Interview with Reece Martin

It's our first step! Rodney Chan of TriTAG and Denis Agar of Movement have come together to discuss transit advocacy in Canada. Rodney brings up the new Line 6 Finch West LRT that just opened in Toronto and how its shortcomings are bringing transit priority front and centre at city hall. 

As well, Denis and Rodney have a conversation about how they ended up in the transit planning and urbanism scene plus how they both have contributed to being micro-celebrities on social media.

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Denis promoting a new bus service for Metro Vancouver - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eltnLcyP8AU [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eltnLcyP8AU&pp=ygURZGVuaXMgdGhlIHBsYW5uZXI%3D]
Steve Munro Blog Post on TTC Board discussion on Line 6 Finch West LRT - https://stevemunro.ca/2025/12/10/ttc-board-debates-finch-lrt/
Motion to speed up light rail transit and street cars - https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2025.MM35.15
Results of the motion - https://bsky.app/profile/graphicmatt.com/post/3ma4xkekyhk2o

Tri-Cities Transport Action Group (TriTAG) - https://tritag.ca
Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders - https://movementyvr.ca/

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/dwelltime.ca

Episode 1 - Meet Rodney and Denis!

(Originally released on April 30, 2025)

Frank Ney. That name is infamous in British Columbia politics not because of his real estate efforts but because of how he as mayor put on a pirate persona and ruled over the lands of Nanaimo for over two decades. His terror led to forcing people to race boats made out of bathtubs with meagre engines between Vancouver Island and the City of Vancouver.

In this episode, we're talking about the world famous bathtub races. That's right. Bathtub racing. It's real, it's a thing, and despite this being a spoiler, nobody has ever died doing it.

(UNLOCKED) Episode 23 - A Canadian Pirate and the Queen

(Originally released January 29, 2025)

Wipeout Canada! A single-season hallowed tradition. An entire television show was premiered on extended cable in 2011 showcasing Canadians being forced into near concussions and vomiting by running around on a hazardous endurance course. We watched three episodes of this show so you don't have to.

Featuring Aoife! Check her out here! https://twitch.tv/postmpanda

(UNLOCKED) Episode 20 - Hazed and Concussed in Argentina (ft. Aoife)

(Originally released on October 16, 2024)

Tim Hortons! The Canadian cultural icon that has managed to spread its tentacles worldwide has an origin in scams and treachery from a man who wasn't even named Tim at all in his life. Here we will complain about a lack of menued vegetarian food options, the discontinuation of bread bowls, and a theatre play with an awful story.

You can follow along with the video at the start using this URL:

https://youtu.be/pGMWnmFtbqI

(UNLOCKED) Episode 13 - Timbits are kind of screwed up when you think about it

For a decade and a half, kids could tune into a channel available on basic cable and watch speedrunning video games. Or rather, maybe a few minutes of video games scattered amongst fifteen minutes of movie "reviews", expensive consumer hardware pushing, music previews, and everything that is either a top 5 or top 3, but never a top 10.

Why is it called "Video and Arcade Top 10" then? Listen to find out!

If you like Misty, check her out!
https://bsky.app/profile/cdrom.ca
https://cdrom.ca/

(UNLOCKED) Episode 11 - The Top 10 Was a Lie? (ft. Misty)

Imagine if train nerds had built railways in this country instead of corrupt capitalists.

Imagine if people had access to Transport Fever or OpenTTD and could actually imagine what it was like to build the railways.

Imagine if there was actually a bridge to Vancouver Island and not a railway being built to where it wasn't intended to go.

Imagine if there weren't thousands of kilometres of stone you have to dig through to just get a third of the way to the Pacific Ocean from Ontario.

Yeah. The Canadian Pacific Railway was being built on hard mode.

If you like our work, check out our Patreon for bonus episodes and Discord access!
http://patreon.com/shawiniganmoments

Comments?
mailbag@shawiniganmoments.ca

Shawinigan Moments is written and recorded on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Stó:lō (Stolo), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) first nations in what is otherwise called Vancouver.

Episode 24 - Getting the Whole Country Railed (Part 2)

We're two queer persons reviewing the Heritage Minutes we have been subjected to since childhood plus whatever else Canadian or not we decide to chat about. Hosted by Tamarack (they/them/it/its) and Heather (she/they), we aim to watch all of the Heritage Minutes and elaborate on the subject they present since hey, do you think you'll actually learn anything substantial from a single minute TV bite?

Shawinigan Moments

Join Denis Agar and Rodney Chan in their discussions around transit in Canada. From buses to trains and everything else transit, learn about advocacy happening in Canadian cities and beyond.

Tamarack & Heather

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