Residents may have access to free public transit when attending these winter events

Sophie Demers

The Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO) is collaborating with various partners to encourage residents to use public transit when participating in local events this winter.

For Winterlude, taking place from February 3 to 20, every Saturday and Sunday between 10 am to 5:30 pm, Bus-O-Neige shuttles will be available for participants. There will be two routes, the first: Elgin Street loop/Jacques-Cartier Park north end and Centre Robert-Guertin/northern end of Jacques-Cartier Park. The shuttles will pass every 20 minutes. The free shuttles are thanks to a collaboration with Canadian Heritage and Gatineau.

Residents with a four-day Salon du Livre de l’Outaouais pass will have unlimited access to public transit throughout the event. If participants present their personalized Multi-card STO pass they can claim 2 for 1 on daily admissions. Salon du Livre de l’Outaouais will take place from February 23 to 26.

For the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi de l’Outaouais (CJEO) Job Fair on March 7, participants in the job fare can present their ticket to the bus driver and have free public transit access that day.

Since last fall, public transit has been included in the price of the ticket for the Olympique de Gatineau hockey games, including home games, pre-season, regular season, and playoffs. Fans can travel for free on STO buses to the Slush Puppie Centre.

Finally, tickets for shows at the Odyssée Hall and the PGN stage in the auditorium of the multipurpose school Nicolas-Gatineau include free public transportation to the event.

“By surrounding itself with partners committed to mobility, STO is no longer alone in promoting
Gatineau," said Jocelyn Blondin, STO President and Councillor for Manoir-des-Trembles – Val-Tétreau. "These agreements and the resulting initiatives allow us, among other things, to change habits to create new reflexes and to collectively reduce the use of personal vehicles. We are convinced that it is through this kind of joint and concerted effort that real change will happen.”

In addition to the partnerships, the STO has a Family Tariff that allows children aged 11 or younger to ride the bus for free when accompanied by an adult who pays for their own ticket or pass. The promotion is available to families every Saturday and Sunday during the school year, on public holidays and on all days of the week during March Break from March 6 to 10.