A proposed Niagara Region Wine Country Shuttle Project is gaining momentum as transportation leaders, winery representatives and project supporters call on the Province of Ontario to approve funding that would help bring the initiative to the road.
The Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium, known as CUTRIC, hosted a media conference on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Chateau des Charmes Winery Estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake to spotlight the proposed shuttle service. The project is designed to improve rural mobility, support tourism, connect workers and students to employment opportunities, and provide safer transportation options for residents and visitors throughout Niagara’s wine country.
At the centre of the announcement was a direct call for Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, Prabmeet Sarkaria, to approve provincial funding for the pilot. CUTRIC is seeking approximately $1.6 million through provincial transit funding to help move the project from planning to implementation.
Dr. Josipa Petrunić, President and CEO of CUTRIC, said the project has been in development since 2024 in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. She noted that more than 11 wineries had already expressed support for the shuttle stopping at their locations, with more than two dozen wineries and local representatives participating in discussions to help strengthen the planning process.
“Today, we are calling on Minister Sarkaria to approve funding, $1.6 million from the Ontario Transit Innovation Fund, in order to get this shuttle out the door and on the road,” Petrunić said.
For Petrunić, the need for provincial approval is tied directly to Niagara’s ability to grow as both a tourism destination and an employment region. She said transportation is essential to unlocking the region’s full economic potential.
“We know as a transit consortium, you only fully actualize the economic possibility of any jurisdiction when you can move people,” Petrunić said.
The proposed shuttle would connect key transportation hubs, including expected links to the St. Catharines GO Station, Niagara Falls GO Station, GO Transit and VIA Rail, with winery destinations across the region. CUTRIC said the service could help move workers, students and tourists to the winery locations that support Niagara’s agricultural and visitor economy.
“This shuttle program and project, with $1.6 million, will be able to move tens of thousands of riders over the course of a three-year pilot period,” Petrunić said.
She also framed the funding request as part of a larger provincial conversation about rural transportation, economic development, food security and agricultural resilience.
“This is one of the most important agricultural jurisdictions in the country, and yet probably one of the least served when it comes to mobility and transit services,” she said.
Marco Piccoli, CEO of Chateau des Charmes Winery Estate, spoke in support of the initiative from both a business and community perspective. He said transportation choices matter for families, workers and visitors who may not always want to rely on driving or ride-hailing services.
“Implementing public transportation that can benefit the community in all aspects, studying, working, having fun, moving the economy, or sometimes just to visit, is more efficient, safer and faster, in my opinion,” Piccoli said.
Jason Keillor, Vice President of Transit Operations at Transdev, also emphasized the broader importance of mobility access. Transdev is lending innovation, consultation and operational insight into the proposed project.
“It is vital for our communities across Canada to have access to mobility, not only for economic reasons, but for a variety of reasons,” Keillor said. “It drives economic growth across all industries, including the wine industry.”
During the question-and-answer portion of the media conference, Petrunić provided more detail on how the shuttle could operate if funding is approved. She explained that the current concept is not a 24-hour service, though she acknowledged that would be “a dream.” Instead, the early pilot would begin with routes anchored around two major hubs: the St. Catharines station and the Niagara Falls station, including GO, VIA and other drop-off points.
The proposed routes would include service moving west and southeast, capturing about a dozen wineries in the initial model. Petrunić said the first stage of the service would focus mainly on workers trying to get to winery jobs, especially those who are price sensitive, while also serving tourists who may arrive by train from Toronto and want to visit several wineries without paying for multiple ride-hailing trips.
One model being considered is a visitor-focused schedule that would align with GO and VIA rail service, operating roughly from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Another option would be a commuter-oriented route beginning around 6 or 7 a.m. to bring workers to winery jobs and take them home after their shifts. CUTRIC is also looking at seasonal adjustments, with stronger service during spring and summer and less frequent service during fall and winter.
When asked about the funding model, Petrunić said the original request to the province was for approximately $1.6 million, which would cover about half the cost of operating two shuttles in two directions. However, because provincial transit funding has since increased, CUTRIC may return to the government with a broader request for multiple shuttles on multiple loops over the next two to three years.
The other half of the funding model would come from a combination of rider fares and buy-in fees from wineries or locations that want a shuttle stop. Petrunić said the aim is to keep the fare affordable, with a possible day-pass model in the range of $10 to $15. Some wineries may also consider absorbing that cost for workers as an employment support.
Municipal involvement is expected to become part of the next phase. While provincial approval is the immediate requirement, Petrunić said CUTRIC plans to meet with local representatives, including mayors and municipalities, especially if shuttle stops require use of municipal roads or infrastructure.
Workforce access was a recurring theme during the Q&A. Petrunić said one of the proposed routes already extends toward Lincoln, and the broader goal is to understand how the shuttle could eventually serve the full wine region, including communities where employees may be travelling from to reach winery and tourism jobs.
She explained that while the first pilot routes would likely begin in the densest winery corridors around St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake, future expansion would depend on ridership data, winery participation, route feasibility and worker demand. The goal is to identify where people are coming from, how they are getting to work and where reliable pickup points could reduce transportation barriers.
Worker access was also discussed in relation to underserved areas of Niagara. Petrunić said CUTRIC may need to identify intersections or pickup points across the region where workers can meet the shuttle during early-morning commuter routes. Those routes could help employees reach winery jobs without relying on personal vehicles, fuel costs or expensive ride-hailing options.
She said the first and second years of the pilot would be important for data collection. CUTRIC would be looking at how many workers use the service, how many tourists use it and how many students use it to access summer jobs. That information would help shape future route planning and expansion.
Supporters say the Niagara Region Wine Country Shuttle could help reduce transportation barriers, strengthen the visitor economy, improve access to jobs and create a safer, more connected experience for everyone moving through Niagara’s wine country.
For Niagara, the proposal is not simply about moving tourists between wineries. It is about connecting people to opportunity, supporting local employers, reducing transportation costs and recognizing that rural mobility is part of long-term economic development.
As Petrunić concluded, CUTRIC’s message to the province was clear: the project is ready to move forward, and approval from Minister Sarkaria would allow the proposed shuttle to begin addressing a long-standing transportation gap in one of Ontario’s most important wine, tourism and agricultural regions.
