Category Archives for "Latest News"

Mar 30

Use of Highway 407ETR as a Truck Alternative to Proposed Highway 413 – Media Interviews

By Transport Action Ontario | Highways and Bridges , Latest News

The GTA West transportation corridor, now officially known as Highway 413, continues to generate intense interest among local citizens, elected officials and media. Transport Action Ontario (TAO) is a core member of an alliance called “Stop the 413 Now” that actively opposes this project.

As described in our report “Is Building Highway 413 the Best Option” (see posting on this website August 20, 2020), people moving is more cost effectively achieved with rapid transit, which can move 4 times as many people per hour as the Highway, for the same capital cost.

For the important sector of goods movement by truck, there is increasing interest in the use of a truck toll discount on Highway 407. This was first analyzed by TAO in 2021 (see posting April 6, 2021), which showed that providing a full truck toll discount on the 407 is less than half as costly as building and operating the 413. And this solution can be implemented almost immediately, versus expressway construction which could take 10 years.

There has been considerable media interest in this solution. TAO President Peter Miasek was featured in two recent interviews:

  • CBC Radio, March 26, 2022, with Mike Crawley, here
  • Newstalk 1010 Radio, March 28, 2022, with John Moore, here
Mar 23

Briefing Note on CUTRIC Conference

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

Board member Ken Westcar attended the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) conference in November, 2021. His notes were circulated to the Transport Action Ontario board, but are of broad interest, so we felt that members and the general public should have access to them.

Prominent speakers included three Ministers of Transportation and various provincial, municipal and industry specialists. Ken’s briefing note can be viewed below:

Mar 11

Considerations for Peel Region’s Potential Purchase of OBRY Corridor

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

Transport Action Ontario (TAO) has long advocated to preserve the Orangeville-Brampton Railway (OBRY) corridor for transportation. See our posting of January 5, 2021.

The OBRY shut down in December, 2021. In January, 2022, we learned that the Town of Orangeville had agreed to sell about 5 acres of the railway lands in downtown Brampton to the City of Brampton. This deal closed in February. We also learned in February that Peel Region was investigating the purchase of the balance of the corridor lands.

TAO strongly supports these purchases so that the corridor remains in public hands. We have written Peel Region outlining 6 important factors supporting this purchase.

Our letter can be viewed below.

Feb 22

Incentivizing the Private Sector to Invest in Rail Infrastructure

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

Recent border blockages and on-going truck driver shortages are indicative of weakness in Canada’s national transportation system. Senior Canadian economists have called for increased Canadian business investment to remain competitive as a country. A change in Canada’s tax code to incentivize private capital investment has been discussed.

Transport Action Ontario has written key federal ministers recommending such tax incentives for rail infrastructure. Our letter can be viewed below.

Feb 11

Addressing VIA Canada’s role in passenger rail transportation

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

In response to a letter from Transport Minister Alghabra, Transport Action Ontario has written back to the Minister outlining our thoughts and needed work on eight topics, summarized below;

  • Expedited restoration of VIA Rail corridor services needed
  • Transparency on VIA’s High Frequency Rail (HFR) project very inadequate
  • Details needed on HFR capital investment ($396 million over 5 years)
  • Need to develop options to HFR northern corridor (Toronto-Peterborough-Smith Falls)
  • Need to invest in southwestern Ontario rail debottlenecks
  • Shared maintenance facilities with Exo or Metrolinx
  • Welcome first step on VIA’s long-distance fleet replacement
  • Cross-border rail services

Our letter can be viewed below.

Photograph: VIA 912 by djaytoo (d*jay)

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