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Urban TransitA recent 2011 Toronto Board of Trade ranking of the transportation within major

international cities highlights the significant challenge Canada faces of urban transit.

Measured on commute times, transit ridership, kilometers of existing rail and vehicle per

capita, all four Canadian cities listed including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and

Calgary were given either Cs or Ds (Agrell, Perreaux, et.al; Toronto Board of Trade).

These grades portray the need to address the problems associated with Canadian urban

transit: congestion, environmental damages, and lack of co-ordination within the

government.

Congestion and Environmental ConcernsCongestion proves to be a crippling fault in Canadas urban transit. Although 80

percent of Canadas total population lives within urban centers, the population of the areas

just outside the urban core is growing at 11 percent, twice the national average (Brender

and Golden, 1). In addition, 50 percent of total employment is within the six biggest urban

cities including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa-Gatineau, Calgary, and Edmonton

(Abdulrasul, Appleby, et. al, 5). Therefore, about 13 million people travel to and from work

every day, averaging about six trillion trips per year (Abdulrasul, Appleby, et. al, 4).

Considering Canadians mainly rely on automobiles as their main transportation, the

congestion puts pressure on the urban transportation network and systems. The reliance

on automobiles also damages the environment resulting in noise, visual, and atmospheric

pollution which negatively impacts public health and safety. Between 1990 and 2004, road

vehicles contributed to 86 percent of growth in emission (Brender and Golden, 9).

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Congestion also burdens economic loss as it results in a loss in productivity and time and

adds extra fuel costs.

Lack of Co-ordinationThe inadequacy of current urban transit is partially due to the lack of efficient

planning and collaboration among local, regional, and federal governments. Over the past

40 years, the majority of the responsibility regarding decisions about urban transit has

been shifted to municipal governments while the federal government offers little or no

input or support. Therefore, there isnt a national framework to establish an effective

urban transit plan. Funding is also inefficient as an estimated 88 percent of total

government spending on transportation is spent on urban transit. Therefore, of the total

$37.5 billion (in Canadian dollars) expenditures spent in 2008-2009, $31.8 billion was spent

on roads and urban transit, leaving $6.2 billion of government spending on transportation

industries not related to roads and urban transit. However, road networks continue to fail

to keep up with the growing volume of cars and with 80 minute average commutes and

substantial delays, travelers arent motivated to use public transit.

Solution: Inter-city RailThe majority of inter-city travel is via automobiles. However, air travel also

accounts for over half of the remaining inter-city travel. Despite receiving most of the

public attention and funding, these modes of transit have contributed to the major

congestion and environmental issues. Therefore, Canada should concentrate its efforts

towards the under-funded and underdeveloped inter-city rail. A high speed inter-city rail

system will establish a backbone between major cities, offering a faster, more frequent,

and more convenient travel. Currently in development is VIA Rail which will serve over

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four million passengers annually and will operate 503 intercity, transcontinental and

regional trains per week linking 450 communities across its 12,500 - kilometre route

network (Andrews and Kaloutsky). In contrast to high way transit, high speed rail will

require only moderate costs, low energy use, and allow for a higher capacity of travelers.

As an alternative to road ways and air travel, high speed rail will bring the following

benefits:1. Reduce highway use, accidents, and environmentally harmful congestion.2. Reduce overall emissions per passenger mile.3. Offer more transportation choices and increased mobility.

However, improvements need to be made to air travel as it has become an essential part of

urban development. Each major city needs to provide direct rapid transit connection from

the city center to the airport. Also, continuous improvements are needed to keep up with

the growth in travelers.

Solution: National Strategy and FundingIn terms of urban transit, Toronto Board of Trade president and CEO Carol

Wilding states that there has to be a vision brought to it across all levels of government

because unlike other countries, Canada has never adopted a national transit strategy

(Agrell, Perreaux, et. al). In addition, without a fixed source of funding, cities will be

unable to keep up with growing populations. Therefore, the governments must collaborate

to establish a national framework, thus improving the planning and development of urban

transit. Also, the governments should allocate funds more effectively, by considering the

different modes of transportation. A means to increase funds for urban transit spending

would be to institute tolls. Although tolls are widely accepted and used in many countries,

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Canada doesnt monopolize on the opportunity. In addition to providing additional

funding, tolls will deter travelers from automobile usage as well as decrease congestion and

environmental problems.Works Cited

Abdulrasul, Fatima, Sherry Appleby, et. al. Urban Transportation in Canada: Needs and

Opportunities. Publication. 2005. Urban Transportation Task Force. 26 Apr. 2011

. Agrell, Siri, Les Perreaux, Wendy Stueck, and Josh Wingrove. "Transit problems across

Canada prompt calls for politicians to address issue." Time to Lead. 25 Mar. 2011. The

Globe and Mail. 26 Apr. 2011

. Andrews, Malcolm, and Catherine Kaloutsky. "VIA RAIL CANADA INC. | VIA Rail is

Transforming Inter-City Transportation in Canada, says new chairman Paul G. Smith."

Via Rail Canada. 23 Feb. 2011. CNW Group. 26 Apr. 2011

. Brender, Natalie, and Anne Golden.Sustainable Urban Transportation: A Winning

Strategy for Canada. Publication. 2007. The Canada Project. The Conference Board of

Canada. 26 Apr. 2011 ."Canadian National Railway Company (CN) | Portal for North America."Home | Portal forNorth America.Portal for North America, 2008.Web. 03 May 2011.

."CNI Company Profile - Canadian National Railway Company Company

Information."MarketWatch - StockMarket Quotes, Business News, Financial News. The

Wall Street Journal, 03 May 2011. Web. 03 May 2011..LeBlond, Patrick.2008, June.Solar Roadways - A Real Solution. Rep. Web. 26 Apr. 2011.

. Corporate Website.TransCanada. 3 May 2011.