Rob MacIsaac, Chair of Metrolinx addressed the crowd at a Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance session (International Leaders Breakfast Club) as what he called a warm-up before his big press conference today. Metrolinx is releasing their long-awaited plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTAH). The Big Move: Transforming Transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area sets out nearly 100 actions to build new transportation infrastructure and improve transit service. It calls for $50 billion in new projects over 25 years.
MacIsaac said the draft plan will be considered by the Metrolinx Board this Friday, after which Metrolinx will launch extensive public consultations. A final plan will be released later this year, with implementation to begin soon after. That seemed to be the crowd’s main concern: implementation. With nine discussion papers published and increasingly problematic congestion, most are now calling for action; not discussion.
“It’s a plan of action, to get things moving now,” MacIsaac said at the later press conference. “We are finally playing catch-up, after decades of neglecting major-league transit improvements.”
The Big Move calls for the largest expansion of public transit in the region in more than half a century, including 1,150 kilometres of new rapid transit lines. The plan is for 75 per cent of GTAH residents to live within two kilometres of rapid transit, compared to the current 42 per cent.
A draft Investment Strategy, outlining a financial plan to pay for transportation improvements and operation and maintenance, was also released today. Back at the GTMA breakfast, one audience member expressed concern that as long as roads remain unpriced, any investment in public transit will be swallowed up by a preference for
private transit.
MacIsaac responded by referencing London, England, Mayor Ken Livingston’s strategy of flooding the city with public transit before introducing congestion charges. Before considering alternative financing options, said MacIsaac, Metrolinx will move forward with the funding they already have. In other words, they would like to make the road-pricing decision at a less controversial time, once public transit is a more viable option for car-lovers.
September 24th, 2008 at 8:34 am
An independently-commissioned study by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario in 2006 highlighted that the development of a comprehensive transportation plan for this region should be the first order of business for Metrolinx (formerly GTTA). This “Big Move” announcement demonstrates that this fundamental prerequisite has been met by Metrolinx. Rob MacIsaac and the Metrolinx Board have put forward a solid regional transportation plan that will help to facilitate important infrastructure projects. These projects will tangibly alleviate gridlock, make our region more economically competitive and create thousands of jobs for workers in Ontario. The plan is ambitious compared to previous plans but if there is any foot-dragging by the province in releasing the necessary funds (perhaps because of a slowing economy), then the improved transportation system will be delayed beyond the target of 2013.
RCCAO also commissioned a paper in early 2008 on “Financing Public Transit and Transportation in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton: Future Initiatives.” This report recommended a number of sustainable / predictable revenue streams to fund the plan such as congestion charges, parking lot charges and motor vehicle registration fees. Professor Kitchen recognized that there would be resistance to new financing instruments but that experience from other jurisdictions could be applied to this region. He also argued that pricing mechanisms are preferable to government grants because the latter can distort local decision-making and lead to inefficient decisions. Thus, he suggested that Metrolinx or another special purpose body could be given responsibility for making “spending decisions and the opportunity to implement taxes and charges.” The Big Move announcement indicates that Metrolinx Board is unwilling to take on these added responsibilities.
September 26th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
This all sounds good, but I’m getting tired of plans for subways and then never seeing any new subways that impact me.