Report on Transport Summit (May 16)

The transport sector accounts for 23% of energy-related emissions, which is around 14% of all emissions. Project Drawdown has identified 11 of the most impactful transport-sector solutions for reducing emissions. These include less fuel-intensive shipping, airplanes and trucks, increased use of hybrid cars, electric bikes, electric vehicles, electric trains, mass transit, high-speed rail, and ridesharing, as well as telepresence. 

In the second of seven Drawdown sector summits, participants learned more about the transport sector solutions identified and modelled by Project Drawdown. Then they heard from Toronto experts who are making change with transport solutions at the individual, corporate and government level:

• • Tim Grant – Green Party of Ontario transportation critic 
  • Tomislav Svoboda, MD PhD – Active transport advocate
  • Hamish Wilson – Cycling activist
  • Isabelle Boulard – CarpoolWorld
  • Kamilla Petrick – TTCriders
  • John Filion – Toronto city councillor 
    
    

Toward the end of the evening, they met in three groups to built a long and local vision for accelerating transport sector solutions in Toronto to their fullest potential and to make offers and requests to help move forward transport solutions in Toronto and reverse our greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Below you'll find notes from the discussion groups:

1. MUNICIPAL ACTION 
What’s happening now?

• Dominance of the suburbs
• Municipal election
  
• Mini (Super)PACS
  • Can raise up to $25K each
  • Corporate donations are OK
• Commercial interest groups
  • More involved than public interest groups
  • Some of their names sound like they are in the public interest
  • “Non-political” or “Non-partisan”
    

How could we get engaged?

• Volunteer for local campaigns
• Identify high-leverage seats to influence
  
  • Willowdale
    
  • Progress Toronto
    
  • Do this with other people – Make it fun
    
• Get involved in the mayoral campaign
• Form a PAC?
  • For non-candidates
  • A climate PAC
  • Change the mind set—Have a “spiritual side”
  • A values-based PAC…a vision
• ​Become identified as a “Climate Voter”
  

​2. Improving mass transit in the GTA
Interests:

• Transit is a key equity issue
• Parking costs—do the math!
• Free transit
• Faster transit

​What is happening in the GTA:

• 2-hour transfer
• Under 12 travel free
• “Fair fare coalition” – Discounts
• Community bus program (to get to common destinations)
• Uber pod – not so great
• Too many cars
• ​King Streetcar Pilot
  
  

Possible actions:

• Express bus network
• Fund (attach $) to the relief line
• Advocacy
• Return the tax exemption for fares (for cross-jurisdiction transfers)
• Pay an extra fare for a bike
• “Bus n’ Bike” – Dedicated bus for just bikes
• Equip all buses with a bike rack (do it!)
• More accessibility for special needs
• How to get more mass transit, 1st mile / last mile efficiency in the suburbs
• Couple free/discounted TTC with free entrance to venues
• Tax break for leaving car at home
• Road tolls
• BIA initiatives
• Employer subsidy of TTC passes
  
  

​​Take action

• Join/help TTCRiders.ca
• Support “free transit day” (sponsored by a corporate donor, as on New Year’s Eve)
• Read lemming5 blog (climate change and automobiles)
• May 23 day of Action – TTCRiders
• June: book launch about free transit

3. ACCESSIBLE, SAFE CYCLING IN THE GTA
What is happening in the GTA now?

• We need better infrastructure
• Cycle Toronto
  • Giving a voice to cyclists in TO
    
  • Scarborough Cycles
    
  • Ward groups
• ARC: Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists
• Improved snow clearing in TO? – Erratic
• Cyclist education:
  • Libraries
    
  • Workplaces
    
  • Schools
• ​Bells on Danforth ride—June 16th

Action: What is possible?

• Network: Identify cycling groups in TO and bring them together
• Hold events at bike shops to engage them in advocacy
• Advocate for better quality pavement?
• Hamilton: example of how to change streets with little material—paint
• Getting kids on bikes
• Work with councillors for change
• “Passholes”: cyclist education and bike etiquette
• ​Copenhagenize – look at what works elsewhere

How will you/we engage?

• Speak with my councillor
• Support my friends
• ​Keep riding