Rapid growth and continued lack of investment in transportation and transit infrastructure have made the GTA one of the most heavily congested regions in the world.
According to the Environics Research Group, the average Toronto commute in 2013 took 42 minutes, compared to Ottawa at 29 minutes and Montreal at 36 minutes.
Canada’s Big City Mayors’ Caucus recently warned the federal and provincial governments that, for Canadian cities to compete effectively in the global market, they need an investment strategy to improve transportation and enhance quality of life.
The costs of congestion include not only the loss of time and money spent moving people and goods, but also a negative impact on public health as well as face-to-face business and personal relationships.
In 2013, the Toronto Board of Trade reported that the GTA loses about $6 billion per year as a result of traffic gridlock. However, the C. D. Howe Institute reported that the actual loss, after adding the social impact to the economy, ranges from $7.5 to $11 billion per year.
The provincial plan, entitled The Big Move, adopted a regional transportation network for the GTA that is estimated to cost $50 billion.
The reality is, the GTA does not have the sources of revenue needed. Cities require the collaborative support of the provincial and federal governments to invest in both the capital construction and daily operation of an efficient transportation and transit network.
It’s time to stop debating and finally put this transit plan into action!