Category Archives for "Press Releases and Open Letters"

Nov 16

Open Letter on Ontario Transit Funding: Keep the Promise!

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Press Releases and Open Letters , Urban Transit

An open letter has been sent to Premier Ford and Minister of Transportation Yurek urging the government of Ontario to keep its promise to increase public transit funding.   A total of 17 civic organizations, including Transport Action Ontario, signed the letter which was also covered by CBC News

The letter can be viewed here:

Open letter on Ontario transit funding_November 15 2018_amended

 

Jul 18

Greyhound Canada Downsizing – Urgent Need for Integrated Multi-modal Transportation Strategy

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario , Press Releases and Open Letters

On July 9, 2018, Greyhound Canada announced it was downsizing its bus operations and would be abandoning all but one of its bus routes west of Sudbury, effective October 31, 2018.  In Ontario, this will affect over 50 communities in Northern Ontario. In Western Canada, about 20 routes affecting hundreds of communities all across the region will be affected.

Our “parent” organization, Transport Action Canada, has written an urgent letter to Federal Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, requesting federal leadership in developing and implementing an integrated multi-modal transportation strategy that serves all Canadians.

The letter to Minister Garneau can be viewed here:  TAC Greyhound Call-to-Action

Jul 03

Open Letter to Premier Ford and Minister Yakabuski

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario , Press Releases and Open Letters , Urban Transit

Transport Action Ontario would like to congratulation Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Transportation John Yakabuski and the rest of the Ontario PC team on their recent election victory. We were pleased to see the strong emphasis on public transportation in the “Plan for the People”. We have sent an open letter to the Premier and Minister with comments on the public transportation aspects of the platform.

The letter can be viewed here:  TAO-LettertoFord 2018-07-03

Nov 16

Comments on Metrolinx draft Regional Transportation Plan

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Press Releases and Open Letters , Publications and Links , Urban Transit

Metrolinx, the regional transportation planning agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, released an updated draft Regional Transportation Plan in September 2017, with comments due by late November.  A collaborative of 12 non-government advocacy organizations spanning the health, environment and transportation sectors, including Transport Action Ontario (TAO), submitted comments to Metrolinx.  Our comments can be viewed in the attachment.  They include points on improved transit planning, aligning transit with land use density and new revenue tools.

Our letter received good coverage in a Toronto Star article  on October 31, including comments by TAO’s Peter Miasek.

Following this article, Peter Miasek of TAO and Gideon Forman from the David Suzuki Foundation penned an Op-ed that amplified on the major points in the letter, particularly on getting politics out of transit planning,  the need for new revenue tools and the need to connect land use and transit planning decisions. The Op-ed was published in the Toronto Star on November 8 and can be viewed here.