TORONTO — A coalition of academics, decision makers,
community action groups and city planners is preparing for one of the largest
public forums on transportation in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), designed to
engage citizens
and stakeholders on new solutions to address debilitating transportation
problems.
The two-part forum, Toronto Talks Mobility, kicks off with a
public event the evening of November 9 at Toronto City Hall Chambers, and
continues with a full day of discussion and action planning at the Artscape Wychwood
Barns on November 10.
"Booming population growth
plus inadequate investment in public transportation equals severe traffic
congestion. It's a simple equation," said Dr. Eric Miller, Director of the
University of Toronto's Cities Centre, which is organizing the event together
with the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), the Pembina Institute and
CivicAction. "If we don't do something about it now, the problem is only going
to grow worse as the population of the GTA continues to swell."
The November 9
evening event will feature a mayor's panel as well as world-renowned
sustainable mobility experts. Confirmed speakers to date include Mayor Naheed
Nenshi of Calgary, Mayor Jeff Lehman of Barrie, George Hazel (UK) and Bob
Stanley (US). Thursday's symposium's speakers include former City of Toronto
Director of Urban Design and Architecture, Ken Greenberg, former Toronto Chief
Planner Paul Bedford, Toronto Board of Trade CEO Carol Wilding, Bob Padden
(Vancouver TransLink), Neil McKendrick (City of Calgary) and Toronto mobility
expert Gil Penalosa.
"Whether
it's business leaders or poverty activists, commuters or seniors, everyone
in the GTA wants better transportation options," said Julia Deans, CEO of CivicAction.
"It's time we find a way to agree on how we can all help to make this desire a
reality."
The free and
public forum will explore practical commuting solutions for the entire region
to improve options for drivers, transit users, cyclists and active commuters
alike and hear "success stories" from other
regions that have mastered similar dilemmas.
"Cities from New York to
Vancouver have faced these challenges and have relied heavily, and
successfully, on both citizen engagement and political courage to solve them,"
said Cherise Burda, Director of transportation policy with the Pembina
Institute. "It's time for Toronto to develop a citizen-based blueprint for
change."
This important
forum complements the CUTA national public transit conference, being held in
Toronto the same week, and will put a heightened focus on the region's mobility
challenges.
Explains
Michael Roschlau, President and CEO of CUTA: "By bringing together our
political leaders and community stakeholders, we can advance the dialogue
towards a sustainable and long term transit policy framework."
-30-
Event
information can be found at:
Event Registration can be
found at:
November 9: http://torontotalksmobilityforum.eventbrite.com/
November 10: http://torontotalksmobilitysymposium.eventbrite.com/
Contact:
Eric Miller, Director, the Cities Centre
The University of Toronto
Tel: 416-978-4076
Rebecca Geller, Communications & Events
Officer
CivicAction
Tel: 416-309-4480, Ext:
509
Cherise Burda, Director, Transportation Policy
The Pembina Institute
Cell:
416-824-0256
