TORONTO — Cherise Burda, Ontario policy director at the Pembina Institute, made the following comments today on the results from the City of Toronto’s public consultation process on transportation issues:
"The results of the City’s consultations clearly articulate Torontonians’ frustration with gridlock and crowded transit — but they also reflect the growing support for dedicated revenue tools to fund the expansion of rapid transit in Toronto and the broader region.”
“Once again we are hearing that it is critical to show taxpayers how and where the funding spent on transportation will make a difference. Opinion polls and consultations continually indicate that support for revenue tools is significantly higher when people know the funds are dedicated to building transit — regardless of the tool.”
“Nevertheless, it is not surprising to see that many of the revenue options favoured by the Toronto public mirror those recommended by the Toronto Region Board of Trade and also appear in Metrolinx’s short list — with a dedicated sales tax, HOT lanes and parking levy in the top four. These options have been successful in other jurisdictions and represent a balanced approach.”
"Vancouver, Los Angeles and many other cities throughout North America are implementing plans comparable to those outlined in the City of Toronto’s report with great results. As the population grows and more vehicles are added to the region’s roads, the congestion in North America’s fourth-largest city will only get worse over the decades ahead without ambitious action.
“The Big Move is the right plan to move the region forward, and we need to act now with a clear and achievable route to getting there."
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Contact
Cherise Burda
Ontario Policy Director
416-824-0256
twitter.com/CheriseBurda
Background
Read our joint blog post with Sustainable Prosperity, analyzing the revenue tools proposed by the Toronto Region Board of Trade on March 18, 2013: “Q&A: How the Board of Trade’s transit funding proposal would drive the Toronto region in the right direction”
Note: The City of Toronto’s transportation consultation results will be considered by the Executive Committee on April 23 and by City Council on May 7.