“Feeling Congested?”: Toronto’s Transportation Consultations Need Your Input Feb.4, 6, 11, 13, 2013

This video presents “Traffic Congestion in Toronto Feature – Toronto Today”:

• A great feature story by Sydney Poulos

Toronto in Ontario, Canada, is growing for the following reasons:

• Toronto is recognized as one of the world’s top seven intelligent communities of the year 2013 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) – Kudos to Toronto:

  • “For creating local prosperity and inclusion using broadband and information technology to attract leading-edge businesses, build skills, generate economic growth, and improve the delivery of government services”

  • “Toronto has the largest information technology sector in Canada and the third largest in North America,” said Mayor Rob Ford. “Over 160,000 people are employed in the local Information technology sector and that figure is expected to grow by 35,000 over the next five years.”

• Toronto leads all North American municipalities in large scale development, and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is projected to add another 3 million people by 2036

Consequently, congestion in Toronto is adversely affecting our:

• Quality of Life
  • more time commuting means more stress, less rest, and less time to spend with friends and family

• Economic Impact

  • The social and economic costs of congestion in the GTHA (Greater Toronto Hamilton Area) have been estimated at $6 billion annually

    • This includes wasted fuel, carbon emissions, slower goods movement, and travel delay resulting in lost productivity

Did You Know?

• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) Ridership

  • “Demand for transit has been steadily growing in Toronto and across the GTA

  • Over the past 10 years TTC ridership has grown by 100 million passengers, reaching a record 514 million annual passengers in 2012″

• Projected Traffic Congestion

  • “Without a comprehensive plan for improvement of the transportation network, traffic congestion will worsen across the GTA, with many roads in Toronto and the 905 operating at or above 95% of capacity”

• Population / Development

  • “Toronto currently has 185 high-rise buildings under construction, and the city’s population is projected to rise from 2.74 million in 2011 to 3.42 million in 2036“

• Planned Infrastructure Development

  • “Transportation investment taking place in Toronto includes the:

    • Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension

    • Union Station revitalization

    •  4 light rail lines (Eglinton, Sheppard East, Finch West, and Scarborough)”

• A Connected Region

  • “Improving congestion locally means thinking about transportation regionally- many Torontonians commute to work in the 905, just as many of the daily users of Toronto’s transportation network come from outside the City”

Feeling Congested? Consultation will support and inform the:

• comprehensive review of Toronto’s Official Plan transportation policies

• development of a new long-term transportation plan

• a funding and investment strategy

Toronto would like to hear from users of all transportation modes (driving, transit, walking, cycling) in all parts of the city via:

• Phase One in-person consultation meetings which will:

  • focus on decision making principles and revenue tools

  • consist of an afternoon session (4 to 6:30 p.m.) and an evening session (6:30 to 9 p.m.)

    • which will both contain the same content

  • consist of open house display boards, a powerpoint presentation and a table/group discussion/question-and-answer period

  • be held at the following locations:

    • February 4 – York Civic Centre, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W. (Foyer)

    • February 6 – Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr. (Rotunda)

    • February 11 – North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge St. (Members Lounge)

    • February 13 – City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. (Rotunda)

• Phase Two consultation meetings will determine the City of Toronto’s priority projects and refinements to other Official Plan transportation policies

  • to be held between April and November 2013

• Phase Three consultation meetings will look at connecting revenue tools to priority projects
  • to be held between April and November 2013

• Feedback online at http://www.feelingcongested.ca

  • The interactive survey will allow users to rank transportation priorities and funding methods

  • This data will be collected and integrated with the assessments generated at the in-person events

The results of the above actions will:

• produce a recommendation to Council on:

  • “the City of Toronto’s feedback to Metrolinx on its next wave of priority projects

  • Torontonians’ opinion of Metrolinx funding options”

• provide greater clarity to public and private sector partners on the direction of the City’s transportation infrastructure investment

• ultimately inform revisions to the City of Toronto’s Official Plan policies

Also, have your say and you could win a way to get around Toronto!

• Win daily prizes like a TTC monthly pass, free parking, plus Bixi and AutoShare memberships

• Get your chance to win when you have your say…Read More by clicking here

Please click here for more info regarding Toronto’s “Feeling Congested?”

City of Toronto Contact Info

Phone within Toronto city limits: 311

Phone outside city limits: 416-392-CITY (2489)
(can be used within Toronto if you can’t reach 311)

TTY customers: 416-338-0TTY (0889)
Fax: 416-338-0685
E-mail: 311@toronto.ca

If your matter is urgent, please call them. They are open 24/7.

Always call 911 for emergencies.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

NEWS RELEASE

January 31, 2013

Toronto launches Feeling Congested? transportation consultation

The City of Toronto today launched a public consultation campaign with the aim of engaging Torontonians on a range of issues related to transportation planning, priorities and funding.

This engagement, called Feeling Congested?, will support and inform the comprehensive review of Toronto’s Official Plan transportation policies, as well as the development of a new long-term transportation plan, and a funding and investment strategy.

The City would like to hear from users of all transportation modes (driving, transit, walking, cycling) in all parts of the city. The City Planning Division has planned in-person events (open houses and expert panel sessions), online consultation tools, social media, and do-it-yourself consultation opportunities intended to achieve broad participation.

The following in-person consultation meetings will be held in the coming days:
• February 4 – York Civic Centre, 2700 Eglinton Ave. W. (Foyer)
• February 6 – Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr. (Rotunda)
• February 11 – North York Civic Centre, 5100 Yonge St. (Members Lounge)
• February 13 – City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. (Rotunda)

The meetings will consist of an afternoon session (4 to 6:30 p.m.) and an evening session (6:30 to 9 p.m.), which will both contain the same content. The meeting format will consist of open house display boards, a powerpoint presentation and a table/group discussion/question-and-answer period.

In addition to the in-person consultation, residents will also have the opportunity to provide feedback online at http://www.feelingcongested.ca. The interactive survey will allow users to rank transportation priorities and funding methods. This data will be collected and integrated with the assessments generated at the in-person events.

The results of these consultations will culminate in a recommendation to Council on the City of Toronto’s feedback to Metrolinx on its next wave of priority projects and on Torontonians’ opinion of Metrolinx funding options. The results will also provide greater clarity to public and private sector partners on the direction of the City’s transportation infrastructure investment.

Phases two and three of the consultation will follow this current phase, and will include additional meetings being held between April and November. Phase two will determine the City of Toronto’s priority projects and refinements to other Official Plan transportation policies, while phase three will look at connecting revenue tools to priority projects.

The outcomes of this overall process will ultimately inform revisions to the City of Toronto’s Official Plan policies.

Be part of the conversation. Visit the website and take the survey, follow us on twitter @congestedTO, email us at feelingcongested@toronto.ca, like us on facebook at facebook.com/feelingcongested, and sign up to receive e-updates from the City http://www.toronto.ca/e-updates/index.htm (check the “Official Plan” box).

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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