I have a crazy idea (so it’s up to you all whether or not to take it seriously).
If exurban commuters don’t mind a much longer commute, we can encourage them to ride bicycles to LRT stations (or even straight to work). I just checked: it takes 88 minutes one way to bike from Vars to Canadian Science and Technilogy Museum.
Obviously this won’t work if
(1) they’re taking buses instead of LRT;
(2) they’re coming from the lower end of Highway 416*;
(3) the weather’s very bad,
(4) drivers in the area are generally hostile to cyclists**.
*Heck even Carleton Place is pushing it.
**It’s really bad in GTA, but I don’t know about NRC.
Plus, I don’t know how to even encourage such behavioural change.