Infrastructure & Transportation, Morning Brief, Public Policy

Getting from Point A to B with Policy – February 15th, 2019

Posted by PPGR on

Good morning subscribers!

As Torontonians, we tend to be busy people. Whether its going to class, work, or spending time with loved ones, we’re often on the move. How do we get to where we’re going? For a large number of us, the answer lies in public transit. With so much of our daily lives dependent on things like the TTC and Metrolinx services, today’s Weekly Brief focuses on transportation policy issues.

Today’s Weekly Brief was prepared by Jasper Paredes Sign up here to receive the Weekly Brief directly to your inbox.

Getting from Point A to B with Policy

  • The 2019 Urban Policy Lab Case Competition focused on solving the ‘first-and-last-mile’ transit problem in Toronto. This particular issue refers to the barriers that riders face getting to and from initial transit stops to the wider transit system. Urban Policy Lab Graduate Fellow Breanne Bateman outlines the key ideas and policy recommendations from competing students in her latest Seen+Heard. [Bateman/PPGR]
  • Car-share services are becoming increasingly popular.  It reduces traffic congestion, increases the number of available transportation options, and promotes community cohesion through membership. It is also associated with increased fuel efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Considering these benefits, Anna Lozhkina from the University of Regina outlines why and how City Council should regulate car-share services to supplement public transit options. [Lozhkina/PPGR]
  • Torontonians have longer commutes than most Canadians, with 17% of employed individuals spending more than 60 minutes getting to work. Why? One main reason is congestion, which can be largely attributed to the inefficient use of our roads with 56% of people commuting by car alone. Margaret Campbell explains the economic impact of congestion and some practical strategies to nudge drivers to ditch their cars. [Campbell/Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity]
  • The Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto have signed terms of reference on the provincial proposal to ‘upload responsibility’ for the TTC subway system. What does this mean? Robert Mackenzie outlines the potential outcomes of this news development and sheds light on various stakeholder perspectives. [Mackenzie/Transit Toronto]

That’s it for us this week! Thanks for reading!

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