Category Archives for "Latest News"

Dec 18

Second Update on Funding Gaps for Rapid and Conventional Transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Major Reports , Urban Transit

Transport Action Ontario has released a second update report and backgrounder on funding gaps for transit in the GTHA.  It reflects an assumed rapid transit network as proposed by Metrolinx in their 2017 draft Regional Transportation Plan, rather than that identified in their 2016 discussion paper.

These two reports update our two previous reports posted in September, 2017.

TAO-$GapUpdate2017-12

TAO-$GapUpdate2017-12-Backgrounder

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.

Nov 09

Op-Ed: What it will take to make Metrolinx transit plan a reality

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Urban Transit

The Toronto Star has published an opinion/commentary piece authored by Peter Miasek of Transport Action Ontario and Gideon Foreman of the David Suzuki Foundation.  It outlines the three big challenges in achieving real transportation improvements as outlined in the Metrolinx draft regional transportation plan.  These are: too much politics in transit planning, need for new revenue tools and disconnected land use decisions.  These challenges need to be addressed to achieve the transportation benefits promised in the draft plan.

The op-ed can be viewed at this link: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/11/08/what-it-will-take-to-make-metrolinx-transit-plan-a-reality.html

If the link does not work, a PDF version can be viewed here:  TAO-TheStarOpEd2017-11-08

Aug 03

Brutal Treatment by CN damaging VIA’s Canadian train

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario

Transport Action Ontario and our affiliate, the Northern and Eastern Ontario Rail Network (NEORN) have jointly issued a media release decrying the extremely poor on-time performance of the Canadian.  Data shows that the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto was on schedule only once between March 2 and June 22, 2017.  The blame is placed on CN, which is disregarding its contractual agreement to efficiently handle all VIA passenger trains on its lines.

The groups are calling on Transport Minister Marc Garneau to resolve the situation.

The media release can be viewed here:  TAO-NEORN 2017-08-03

 

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