UNIFY TORONTO
  • Home
  • Events
  • Dialogues
  • Our Vision
    • The "interstitial fluid"
    • The Earth Charter
  • Who We Are
  • Blog
  • Connect
  • Resources

Report on Transport Summit (May 16)

5/22/2018

0 Comments

 
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



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Indigenize Or Die
    Indigenous
    Leadership
    People United
    Permaculture
    Process Work
    Pttgta
    Sustainable Activism
    Tcdi
    Unify Toronto Dialogue

Connect