TCAT is pleased to announce a new research study, in collaboration with Dr. Raktim Mitra at Ryerson University and Dr. Paul Hess at the University of Toronto, undertaken with funding from the Places to Grow Implementation Fund.
The study will focus primarily on smaller, outer ring municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region and the particular challenges they face in improving conditions for walking and cycling. It builds on TCAT’s recent series of research in the GGH region.
– Complete Street Transformations, a book featuring nine regional case studies examining evidence from before and after street redesigns;
– Complete Streets Catalogue, an investigation into the current state of practice in 19 GGH municipalities;
– Complete Streets Evaluation Tool, providing 21 performance indicators to assess the effectiveness of Complete Streets projects.
“This new project builds naturally from our previous research,” says TCAT Director Nancy Smith Lea. “We found that smaller municipalities face unique challenges that we don’t encounter here in Toronto. We look forward to exploring this issue and to showcasing innovative solutions.”
The project is particularly timely, with the Province of Ontario proposing a Complete Streets approach for the entire region in its Proposed Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. By identifying the unique challenges and sharing strategies for success, this report will provide professionals and the public with critical knowledge on the types of interventions that are possible in small town settings. TCAT’s goal is to inspire Ontario municipalities, large and small, to create complete communities that enable active transportation.