Grand River Transit

[Markster]

Huh. It really looks like that's basically just a construction detour.  They have to get it off of Victoria, and, well, they can conveniently claim they're responding to "customer feedback" at the same time.

Full text:

Construction on Water Street is now expected to be completed by the end of February 2016.

At that time, Route 20 will be modified to travel along Water Street and Joseph Street in Downtown Kitchener. Service will be removed from Victoria Street between Joseph Street and Weber Street.

This change is being made in response to customer feedback requesting closer access to Charles Street Terminal, and because Victoria Street will be closed at King Street for ION construction in March 2016. This will be the regular routing until 2017. Once ION construction is complete, Route 20 will be revised downtown to directly connect with ION and other GRT routes at ION stations.

Please consult the map below which shows the revised route and stop locations downtown. A stop will be provided within 1 block of Charles Street Terminal.

As for why it doesn't go through the terminal:
GRT was using it to test the waters of decentralizing bus routes in the downtown core. Focusing less on Charles St Terminal, with an eye to eventually mothballing it once the new terminal at King/Vic is complete. More routes will likely be decentralized in a post-ION environment. They were also acutely aware of the construction detours that were going to make the terminal hard to get to, so by keeping the 20 out, they've reduced construction impacts to it. Route 20 is the only route downtown that hasn't had a detour yet.