Category Archives for "Major Reports"

VIA 1-4-10 Plan: A Recovery Strategy for Canada’s Rail Passenger Service

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Major Reports

Transport Action Canada and its regional associations, including Transport Action Ontario,  are pleased to release our nation-wide blueprint for the revival of VIA Rail Canada.  It demonstrates how the new federal government can turn VIA around and make it a modern, more frequent and highly useful public transportation service at a reasonable cost over a period of 10 years.  The plan also outlines how improvements can be made to a number of VIA services – including Southwestern Ontario and on the North Main Line – within one year.

We have also produced a two-page infographic summarizing the report and its recommendations for the Windsor-Quebec corridor. 

 

Developing Higher Speed Electric Railways Across Canada

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Major Reports

 

 

Dr. Avrum Regenstreif, long time member and colleague of Transport Action Ontario, has completed a report on developing higher speed electric railways across Canada.  it is intended as a backgrounder to foster discussion and it offers one possible long term vision on development of higher speed electrified railroads in Canada.  While Transport Action Ontario has long supported railway electrification, the details of how this is to be achieved as expressed in this report are the opinion of the author, and are not the official position of Transport Action Ontario.

 

We welcome feedback on this important topic.

 

The report can be viewed here:  TAO-HSR-Paper-Final2015-06

 

 

 

Network Southwest Passenger Rail and Bus Service Action Plan – Report Released

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Major Reports

We are pleased to announce the release of Network Southwest,  an interurban passenger rail and bus service action plan researched and prepared by Greg Gormick of  On Track Strategies for the Southwestern Ontario Transportation Alliance (SWOTA), a collaborative of non-government organizations including Transport Action Ontario.   Network Southwest is a blueprint for reviving the region’s intercity public transportation system using a passenger rail spine and passenger bus feeders.  It can  rapidly and cost-effectively be implemented.

 

This plan was unveiled at a public forum in Sarnia on January 31st, 2015. Other public forums have been held in St Marys and Stratford.   Our next public forum is planned for London on April 8.

 

The full  88 page report was released in St Marys, Ontario on March 18.  Additionally,  a one-page infographic and a one-page summary are available. The report may be downloaded here

 

More information is available on the SWOTA website here

 

 

 

 

Report: “Out of Steam: The Urgent Need to Modernize VIA Rail Canada”

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus , Major Reports

Transport Action Ontario is pleased to release a major new report by Greg Gormick, entitled “Out of Steam: The Urgent Need to Modernize VIA Rail Canada”. 

The report analyzes recent quarterly, annual and plan reports of VIA Rail Canada.  It concludes that, in every key performance indicator, VIA is either stagnant or declining.  But it also concludes that VIA can be easily revived and improved to deliver major benefits to Canadians if government invests strategically in its full, long-overdue modernization. 

 

 

 

Review of Potential Future Safety Zones at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

By Transport Action Ontario | Aviation , Major Reports

 

With the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) and the introduction of jets,  it will be necessary to review and very likely expand the safety zones at the airport.  These safety zones have received very little public discussion.

 

On March 24, 2014, Transport Action Ontario released a major report on future safety zones at an expanded BBTCA.  In summary, assuming regulatory standards and specifications are followed, there will be major impacts to the harbour and Port Lands.  These impacts are large enough that the City should say “no” to the expansion proposal.   If exemptions from these standards are provided, this will significantly increase safety and liability risk.

 

 

 

Our full report can be found here: