Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission continued
11.(1)The Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission is continued under the name Ottawa-Carleton Regional Transit Commission in English and Commission de transport régionale d’Ottawa-Carleton in French with the powers, rights, authorities and privileges vested in it by this Part. Commission members (2)The Commission is a body corporate and shall consist of nine members of the Regional Council appointed by by-law of the Regional Council. Quorum (3)Five members of the Commission constitute a quorum. R.S.O. 1990, c. R.14, s. 11 (1-3). Exclusive franchise in Urban Transit Area (4)The Commission has the exclusive right within all parts of the Regional Area from time to time included in the Urban Transit Area to maintain and operate a passenger transport service but such right does not affect the right of any district school board within the meaning of the Education Act, private school or charitable organization to provide passenger transportation for their respective purposes, or the right of any person to operate a passenger transport system within the Urban Transit Area in accordance with a valid operating licence issued to the person under The Public Vehicles Act, being chapter 392 of the Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1970, on or before the 1st day of January, 1972, and in exercising such right the Commission has the power and duty to establish, maintain, operate, extend, alter, control, manage, construct, repair and equip a system of passenger transport by means of surface, underground or above ground railways, tramways, or buses, or any other means of transportation, except taxis, including such structures and works of every description as may be necessary or convenient upon, along, across, under and over all highways and public places in the Regional Area and all lands and rights of way owned, acquired or leased by the Commission. R.S.O. 1990, c. R.14, s. 11 (4); 1997, c. 31, s. 174 (1). Fares (5)The Commission shall fix such fares as it considers proper for the use of its passenger transport system and may provide for different levels of fares when a fare is paid to an employee of the Commission on designated vehicles of the Commission. Parking lots (6)Despite the Municipal Act, the Commission may establish, construct, manage and operate parking lots and structures for the parking of vehicles in connection with passenger transport systems and charge fees for parking therein and the Regional Council may pass by-laws to regulate and control the parking of vehicles therein or thereon. Pension plans, etc. (7)Despite any other Act, the Commission may provide pension or retirement plans, and the provision of sick pay benefits, medical, hospital, surgical, drug, dental and other insurance plans whether carried on or participated in by the Former Commission or not, and all existing plans are continued and in relation to all such matters the Commission stands in the place of the Former Commission. Purchase and disposal of property (8)The Commission may purchase, lease or otherwise acquire and use any real or personal property for its purposes and lease, sell or otherwise dispose of such real or personal property when no longer required by the Commission for its purposes, but real property shall not be purchased or sold without the prior approval of the Regional Corporation. Assets not needed (9)The Commission may, and on request shall, release to the Regional Corporation all its interest in assets which cease to be required for the operation of the passenger transport system. Tax exemption (10)So long as any lands and easements owned by the Regional Corporation or by the Commission are used by the Regional Corporation or the Commission exclusively for the purpose of a subway, transitway or other rapid transit facility, or as car yards used directly in connection therewith, such lands and easements and the buildings, structures and other improvements thereon so used and so owned are exempt from business and real property taxation, and the Regional Corporation and the Commission are not liable for payments in lieu thereof under section 27 of the Assessment Act. Limitation (11)Subsection (10) does not apply to concessions operated, rented or leased in transit stations. Deemed exemption (12)The exemption provided by subsection (10) shall be deemed to be an exemption from taxation provided by section 3 of the Assessment Act. R.S.O. 1990, c. R.14, s. 11 (5-12).