We may be
closer to dealing with overcrowded and slow transit service in the
GTA. Last week the Ontario government unveiled recommendations for a
City of Toronto Act that could bring new powers to the city. Very
soon, provincial officials may also announce details of a Greater
Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) to coordinate transit and
highway decisions.
In anticipation
of the GTTA, ten different boards of trade and chambers of commerce
from across the region demanded yesterday that the province “take
immediate action on gridlock.” In a joint “Call to Action”, the
representatives of Toronto-area businesses and the development
industry stated the transportation body must make planning decisions
for both transit and roads, and advise local governments on ways to
promote density along transit routes.
One of the
difficulties in creating the so-called GTTA is getting agreement on
who should sit on the authority. In last Thursday’s column, Ontario
transportation minister Harinder Takhar said officials were still
trying to find “some consensus” with municipal councils.
The boards of
trade have called for a 13-person board with a majority of members
from the private sector, and also suggested that one member
represent each of the municipal governments of Toronto, Durham,
York, Peel, Halton and Hamilton.
Speaking to In
Transit on Friday, Toronto Mayor David Miller said “At a minimum,
the representation on the transportation authority needs to be by
population and the City of Toronto needs the right to appoint its
own representatives.”
He added, “One
can make a strong argument that the representation should be by
transit ridership -- and 9 out of 10 users of local transit systems
ride the TTC. It’s very important that the City of Toronto have a
strong voice, in recognition that the TTC is at the heart of the
whole transportation system in the GTA.”
It is unlikely
that the proposed regional transportation body would take over
operation of local transit, so commuters would still ride the same
buses, streetcars and trains. Where change may come is in
coordinating new transit projects, which many argue are long
overdue.
Mayor Miller
sees the future Toronto Act as a way for the city to finally come up
with a workable plan for transport improvements. Although proposals
do not include more taxes to go to Toronto, new user fees may help
finance the TTC.
What realistic
expectations should transit users and motorists have? Miller
replies, “They should expect that the act, if passed, will give us
the ability -- for the first time -- to create a proper
transportation strategy for the City of Toronto. If passed, we will
have the legal power and the financial tools to create a proper
strategy -- with one exception, and that is the funding to expand
subways.
“For example,
you could levy a parking surcharge on commercial areas that have
excellent transit, to encourage people to take transit over
driving.” He says an act would allow Toronto “to actually address
short and long term transportation issues.”