Category Archives for "Urban Transit"

Apr 16

Advocacy Summary for April, 2022 – April, 2023

By Transport Action Ontario | Events , Highways and Bridges , Intercity Rail and Bus , Latest News , Northern Ontario , Southwestern Ontario , Uncategorized , Urban Transit

Transport Action Ontario’s annual general meeting (AGM) was held in Toronto on April 15, 2023 in a hybrid format. The meeting followed a pro-forma agenda, including Treasurer’s report and election of officers and directors for the upcoming year.

The major part of the meeting was devoted to the President’s report, which summarized the extensive advocacy work undertaken by the organization all across the Province over the past 12 months. In total, work was conducted on about 30 items, with some successes and good progress on others.

For members and subscribers who were unable to attend the AGM, the President’s Report is attached as a FYI.

Mar 11

Federal Funding Needed to avoid Public Transit Death Spiral

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Urban Transit

 During summer, 2022 the federal government engaged in public consultation on a proposed $3B/yr Permanent Public Transit Fund.  The purpose was to “support the expansion and upgrading of public transit and active transportation networks in communities across Canada”.  This wording implies that the funding will be for capital projects, not operating funds.

 One of the comments made by Transport Action on the posting was that the funding ought to also include operating cost support.  Now, 6 months later, the need for federal operating cost support is as large as ever.

 The pandemic has broken the public transit funding model.  Prior to the pandemic, the federal government was only involved in capital funding, through such programs as the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.  The role of funding public transit operations was traditionally left to provinces (e.g. Ontario Gas Tax program) and municipalities.  In most cases, municipalities were the primary funders of operations, but have limited fiscal tools beyond politically unpopular property taxes and user fees.

 With the precipitous drop in transit ridership and farebox revenue in 2020, the federal government intervened with the provinces to provide emergency operating support though the Safe Restart Agreement, which was renewed in 2022.  This support prevented a complete collapse in transit service. Despite passenger revenues declining by 57% overall in 2020-2021, service levels only declined by 9%.  

Ridership is now at only 70% of pre-pandemic, although has recovered more for off-peak service and bus routes versus peak-hour rail routes, due to continued work-from-home practices. Overall ridership is unlikely to recover to pre-pandemic totals for quite a time. Thus the operating funding problem has not gone away.  Before the pandemic, 40-70% of transit operating budgets for transit systems were paid for through fares.  With fare box revenue reduction and financial assistance from other levels of government drying up, transit systems face the threat of a death spiral.  This is a vicious cycle of service cuts and fare hikes that push people away from transit, further decreasing revenue leading to further service cuts. This has huge negative consequences  on traffic congestion, carbon emissions and to shift workers and low-income riders.

 The death spiral may already be starting.  Montreal has killed most of its frequent bus network.  The TTC 2023 budget is proposing a 5% service cut versus 2022 and a 3% fare hike (most riders).  Despite a proposed increased subsidy from the City of Toronto, an additional subsidy is  being sought from the provincial and federal governments.  There is no answer yet on this request.

 We urge the federal government to stop the public transit death spiral with additional funding. This could be in the form of operating subsidies, or “restructuring” funding to align service patterns with new demand patterns. In the GTHA, the feds could also provide support for region-wide fare integration, which would undoubtedly boost ridership. Action is needed in the upcoming federal budget.

 (with thanks to Nate Wallace, Environmental Defence, for background information)

Oct 26

Comments on Draft Transportation Plan for Eastern Ontario

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

In April, 2022, Ontario released the last of its regional transportation plans – this one for Eastern Ontario. Transport Action Ontario (TAO) has reviewed this plan. In general, we find it to be long on ideas but short on specific actions. The highway-centric nature of most of the actions is a concern. TAO feels that more emphasis on public transit, intercommunity public transportation and freight rail is needed.

Our comments can be viewed below.

Sep 23

Transit Service Integration in Greater Toronto – a step forward

By Transport Action Ontario | Latest News , Urban Transit

On September 8, 2022, Bill 2, which amended the City of Toronto Act (among other things), was given royal assent at Queens Park. It provides that “the TTC may enter into an agreement with a municipality or local board authorizing the municipality or local board to operate, maintain or both operate and maintain part of a local passenger transportation system within the City”.

This is an important step forward for transit service integration in Greater Toronto. In February, 2022, the TTC and adjacent transit agencies (Brampton, Durham, Mississauga, York) unveiled a Cross-Boundary Service Integration Plan. Phase 1 involved pilot integration on two corridors – Burnhamthorpe Rd. and Dufferin St. The final phase (Phase 3) would be full “open door” rollout on all 24 cross-boundary routes wherein the 905 agency would provide all bus service within the City. TTC would reallocate its service to other areas in Toronto. This results in better customer service and annual operating cost savings of over $3M/yr.

Removing the legislative barrier in the City of Toronto Act was identified as a key step in the Plan and has now been achieved. Other key steps remain, such as implementing a fare collection solution with Presto on 905 transit buses in Toronto.

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