Why are mobility pricing measures a contentious issue? Even though a recent poll found that most GTA residents support a downtown congestion charge, building consensus for new road tolls is no easy task. Yet this month there is not one but two stellar events focused on how to pay for the mobility solutions we need in Toronto and the rest of the GTA.

The Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation has released a paper that examines the implications of sustained government investment in developing public transit infrastructure. This paper brings to light the fact that Canada is the only G7 economy that does not provide dedicated funding for municipal public transit systems. The goal of the paper is to call for the development of a national policy framework for public transit.

University of Toronto Cities Centre is organizing "Toronto Talks Mobility", a two-day free public gathering of transportation experts, activists, politicians, and citizens to kick-start a campaign for transportation solutions for the greater Toronto and Hamilton area.

Each year, the Toronto Community Foundation (TCF) releases its Vital Signs report  that tracks over time several different indicators of Toronto's quality of life, including transportation. In the recently released 2011 report, TCF reports that chronic underinvestment in transportation is threatening Toronto's global competitiveness.

An article written by TCAT Director Nancy Smith Lea is included in the current issue of Harvey Kalles Collections Magazine.

On August 24th, Statistics Canada released a new report titled Commuting to Work: Results of the 2010 General Social Survey. The report determined that Toronto is the most gridlocked and congested city in Canada. Overall average commuting time was 31 minutes in Montreal, 30 minutes in Vancouver, and Toronto came last at 33 minutes. 

To have separated bike lanes or not to? Over the last four years, New York City has transformed some of its major arterial streets to make them safer for all road users and to provide more space for walking, biking, and transit. These streets have been redesigned with broad support from the community, leaders, experts, and local businesses and the results have been dramatic.

On December 8, Andrea Horwath – Leader, Ontario’s NDP – will present, “CITY IN GRIDLOCK: Fixing the Region's Transit System”