Pembina Institute Issues Updated Report Analyzing GTHA Provincial Transit Investment Platforms

By Transport Action Ontario | Urban Transit

As readers know, Transport Action Ontario is part of the “Move the GTHA” collaborative of non-government organizations that is working towards improving public and political acceptance of new revenue tools for transportation.  The collaborative also includes Pembina Institute.

Pembina has just released an analysis of GTHA transit investment and expansion platforms from Ontario’s major political parties:  Green Party,  Liberal Party, New Democratic Party and Progressive Conservative Party.  This updates their interim analysis released in March and also posted on our website.   Five guiding principles were used as the criteria for the analysis:

• Rapid transit for the whole region
• A dedicated fund that puts transit first
• New dollars to build new transit
• Encouraging mode shift
• Fast-tracking transit improvements

Evaluations of the parties’ platforms on each of these five topics were presented, and a score was assigned:  “On track for transit”, “Gathering speed”, “Some forward movement”, and “Stuck in traffic”.

The Pembina Report can be found here:  http://www.pembina.org/pub/whos-ready-to-fight-traffic-with-transit

Op-Ed on Toronto-Kitchener-London High Speed Rail Initiative

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus

Transport Action Ontario colleague, Greg Gormick,  authored an Op-Ed in the Toronto Star on June 2, 2014, entitled “Glen Murray’s high speed rail plan is flawed”.    It indicates that Murray should instead commit to a conventional Amtrak-style rail improvement plan for southwestern Ontario.

The article can be viewed here: TORONTO STAR OPINION2014-06-02

Regional Express Rail GO Service forms Plank of Toronto Mayoral Platform

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

On May 27, Toronto mayoral candidate John Tory unveiled his transit platform.  The flagship component was SmartTrack, an electrified “surface subway” transit corridor based mostly on parts of the GO rail network.   It has the same thrust as the Province’s Regional Express Rail announcement in mid-April, which was virtually identical to Transport Action Ontario’s concept of Regional Express Rail, proposed in its major report released last July.

Transport Action Ontario is very pleased to se the RER concept picked up by one of the top-tier candidates for mayor of Toronto.  Our media release can be viewed here:  TAO-JohnTorymediarelease2014-05-27

The Tory announcement, and Transport Action Ontario’s role in it, was picked up by various Toronto media.  Some links are provided here:

http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/1047150/breaking-down-john-torys-smarttrack-transit-plan/

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/05/27/john-tory-unveils-yet-another-toronto-transit-plan-includes-53-km-relief-line-from-unionville-to-airport/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/torys-transit-plan-rejects-drl-lrt-in-favour-of-surface-rail/article18864900/

Transit Investment Drives Positive Change: Op-Ed by David Suzuki

By Transport Action Ontario | Urban Transit

With the input of several Move the GTHA members, including Transport Action Ontario, David Suzuki has written an op-ed entitled “Transit Investment Drives Positive Change”.  It will appear in several news sites including the national online version of the Globe and Mail.

The article can be read here: DavidSuzukiop-ed2014-05-21

Failed Public Policy real culprit in Lac-Megantic disaster

By Transport Action Ontario | Intercity Rail and Bus

Transport Action Ontario colleague, Greg Gormick,  authored an Op-Ed in the Toronto Star on May 18, 2014, entitled “Wrong Parties charged in Lac-Megantic disaster”.   It indicates that failed public polity is the real culprit, particularly the lack of public investment in Canada’s rail system.

The Op-Ed can be viewed here:   TORONTO STAR Op Ed re RailSafety2014-05-18