Strategy #4: Shape the Region

Until now, many parts of the region and transportation systems have been designed with the needs of cars in mind — cars that spend 95% of their time parked at home, at work, at the mall and all the other places they sit, forgotten, until we need them again. We’ve been designing our communities around vehicles that, unlike us, don’t really move all that much.

The transportation system of 2041 will be convenient, reliable and safe — and it will be designed with people in mind. Some parts will run rapidly and frequently, allowing users to move quickly over long distances. Others will provide local access on a fine grid, with 24-hour service for those who work nights or like to stay out late. The system will provide universal access for travellers with disabilities and will be affordable for low income travellers who need it most. It will sustain the communities and businesses in the GTHA and minimize the impact of transportation on the natural environment. It will give us better access to jobs, housing, education, services, friends and family. It will be all about people, not vehicles.

Building Around Stations

Traditionally, transit has delivered people to dense urban centres — for work, entertainment, or a host of other reasons. Its design has encouraged very high-density growth in a few areas, while ignoring the untapped potential of the rest of the region. Wouldn’t it make more sense to spread that development, and all those opportunities, more equitably throughout the region?Read more

Moving People

Communities aren’t just roads and buildings. They’re parks and paths, markets and shops, and all the places we go when we venture out. Transportation is at the heart of the community, but has to be designed in such a way that it helps maintain the community’s health and stability. A good plan puts the priority on moving people, not just vehicles.Read more

Get Kids Walking and Cycling Again

Children and teens walk and cycle a lot less than they used to — and that’s not healthy. Increasingly, it’s more common for kids and teens to be driven to school, or drive themselves when they’re old enough. In fact, school-related trips now account for 20% of morning peak period travel by GTHA residents.Read more