GTTA Legislation Introduced

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the Star:

Simpler transit system closer
Legislation to be introduced today
GTTA to focus on commuter needs
Apr. 24, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER

The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority is at hand.

Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar is poised to introduce today long-awaited legislation to create a new regional body to simplify transit, ease congestion and curb sprawl, sources told the Star.

Toronto is expected to have four seats on an 11-member board that will oversee the implementation of a single farecard that streamline commuting between municipalities.

Hamilton as well as the regions of Peel, Durham, Halton and York will have seats on the board, which will also manage GO Transit and govern some regional roads.

An advisory body of commuters — including students, seniors and workers — will also help the board identify issues.

If the legislation passes quickly, the GTTA could be up and running by September.

A priority is to put the commuter's interest first, said one source. That means putting an end to the bickering and frustration over paying more than one farewhen passengers travel between municipalities. It would also end turf wars that leave empty buses from one area legally unable to pick up passengers in another.

"Right now, somebody standing on the side of the street in Mississauga sees a TTC bus going right by them the same way and they can't get on it," said a source. "It won't be Mississauga's responsibility, it won't be Toronto's responsibility. It's the GTTA's responsibility to co-ordinate that."

The farecard, a pilot project scheduled to begin in 2007, is one solution and will be a GTTA priority. Under a farecard system, a commuter's card is read automatically getting on — and off — a bus or a train, with the appropriate fare paid to the appropriate transit authority through a computer program.

The plan is to make a big splash today, with the mayors and regional chairs riding buses representing their municipalities today at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Halton Region Chair Joyce Savoline is considered the front-runner for the job of GTTA chair. She announced she's not running for re-election. Former GO Transit chair Gordon Chong and outgoing Burlington Mayor Rob McIsaac are also rumoured to be in the running.

There was still concern over how Toronto and the TTC will deal with a new player.

"Now the GTTA is coming into constrain our authority in terms of our capital program. I can live with that, but it all depends on the authority it's going to have," said TTC chair Howard Moscoe.

AoD

 

[roch5220]

Other than the smartcard, if the GTTA doesn't get its owns funding ability, then it'll just be another layer of talk, and delays to implementing new rapid transit routes within the GTA.

 

[doady]

McGuinty Government Creates Landmark Transportation Agency


Proposed Legislation Would Benefit Commuters With Coordinated Services
And A Single Fare Card

QUEEN'S PARK, ON, April 24 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is taking the
next step to create the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA), which
would make commuting easier for people in the GTA and Hamilton, Transportation
Minister Harinder Takhar announced today.
"We know that someone who lives in Brampton and works in Toronto wants to
get home in time for dinner with the family," said Takhar. "That's why I am
introducing legislation later today that lays the foundation for timely and
reliable transportation across the region."
Hamilton Mayor Larry Di Ianni, Burlington Mayor Robert MacIsaac, Oakville
Mayor Ann Mulvale, Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, Brampton Mayor
Susan Fennell, Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline, Peel Regional Chair
Emil Kolb, York Regional Chair Bill Fisch, Durham Regional Chair
Roger Anderson and Toronto Transit Commission Chair Howard Moscoe joined
Minister Takhar in making today's announcement.

If the proposed legislation is passed, the GTTA will:

- Implement the GTA Fare Card System, which would enable commuters to
travel on public transit from Durham Region to Hamilton using a
single card
- Integrate municipal and regional transit planning, and co-ordinate
fares and transit service delivery to improve convenience for
commuters
- Coordinate the purchase of transit vehicles on behalf of
municipalities
- Manage GO Transit
- Develop and submit an annual capital plan and investment strategy

Subject to passage of the legislation, GTTA - governed by regional
municipalities and the Province - could be in operation by September, 2006. An
advisory committee of stakeholders representing seniors, students, persons
with disabilities and the business community will also be created.
"One of the board's first goals will be to develop an investment plan
that is consistent with the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe,"
said Public Infrastructure Renewal Minister David Caplan. "An estimated
3.7 million more people are coming to this region over the next 25 years. We
need a comprehensive, long-term approach to make sure we have better transit
and transportation systems in place where we want growth to happen."
"GTTA will bring the province together with municipalities to develop a
seamless and integrated transportation plan for road, rail and transit," said
Takhar. "GTTA will bring a region-wide approach to transit and transportation
planning in the GTA and Hamilton."
The creation of the GTTA is one component of Move Ontario, a new
$1.2 billion investment in public transit and municipal roads and bridges that
was announced in the 2006 Budget. Quick, reliable and safe transportation is
vital to Ontario's economic success and quality of life.
The McGuinty government has taken a number of steps to improve the lives
of people in the Greater Toronto Area. In addition to the proposed GTTA, the
government has protected 1.8 million acres of land through the Greenbelt, and -
through the Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan - will ensure well-planned
communities that provide a better quality of life for Ontarians.

Disponible en français

www.mto.gov.on.ca


Backgrounder
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREATER TORONTO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (GTTA)

The proposed Greater Toronto Transportation Authority will integrate
planning for local transit, GO Transit and major roads, and new transit
infrastructure for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Hamilton.

Key elements of the GTTA Bill

Subject to the passage of the legislation, GTTA will be governed by
municipalities and the province. An advisory committee for stakeholders
representing seniors, students, persons with disabilities and the business
community will also be created.

GTTA's mandate will include:

- Responsibility for the GTA Fare Card System, GO Transit and the
co-ordination of municipal transit purchases

- Development of an integrated transportation plan for local transit,
GO Transit and major roads for the GTTA region

- Development and submission of a five-year capital and investment
strategy

- Ensuring that the transportation and capital plans align with the
province's Growth Plan objectives for the Greater Golden Horseshoe,
Greenbelt objectives, provincial policy statements and municipal
official plans

The framework for GTTA has been developed after extensive consultation
with municipalities, transit organizations and other key stakeholders. Public
input will be welcome during the legislative process.

Examples from Other Jurisdictions

Other jurisdictions have successfully created regional transportation
authorities including the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, the
Regional Transportation Authority of Chicago and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART).
These authorities set policy and provide leadership from a regional
perspective on issues that cross local boundaries and require collaborative
solutions. These issues include regional planning, market development,
regional growth management and travel forecasting.

GTA Fare Card

The Ontario government has signed an agreement with GO Transit and
Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities to implement a new fare card system
to serve public transit users across the GTA.
An integrated, seamless transit system offers major benefits for the
public and the environment. More convenient transit will get people out of
their cars and onto transit, reducing congestion on provincial roads and
highways.
Many transit systems are replacing their aging fare collection systems,
allowing for a seamless fare card system across the GTA.

The Ministry of Transportation is working with nine transit agencies to
implement a GTA fare card system, including:
- Brampton Transit
- Burlington Transit
- Durham Region Transit
- GO Transit
- Hamilton Street Railway
- Mississauga Transit
- Oakville Transit
- Toronto Transit Commission
- York Region Transit

Planning has been completed, business requirements have been developed
and the design of the system has been finalized. A competitive search is
underway for a vendor who will implement the system. An announcement of the
successful vendor will be made in the near future.
Implementation will begin in early 2007 and be fully in place across the
GTA, from Hamilton to Oshawa, by 2010.

 

[GregWTravels]

Other jurisdictions have successfully created regional transportation authorities including the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, the Regional Transportation Authority of Chicago and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). These authorities set policy and provide leadership from a regional perspective on issues that cross local boundaries and require collaborative solutions. These issues include regional planning, market development, regional growth management and travel forecasting.

Interesting choice of examples, from what I can tell, as my quick look at the organizations listed. Translink in Vancouver owns the local operations through subsiduaries, which means they are responsible for operational funding. Chicago's regional body funds the budgeted difference between operational expense and operational revenue and DART runs the operations of the companies. In all cases, it seems (I could be wrong, because I just looked at the site quickly), the regional body is funding the operations of the local transit authorities.

Operations and operational funding is something that, however, seems absent from the press release for the GTTA.

 

[thenay]

Good news, and the quicker the better

 

[FutureMayor]

Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

THE MISSISSAUGA NEWS
Transit plan not enough, mayor says


Chris Clay
Apr 24, 2006

The Ministry of Transportation's long ballyhooed solution to the Greater Toronto Area's (GTA) transit woes won't solve Mississauga's gridlock problems, the mayor says.
Mayor Hazel McCallion said new legislation introduced this morning at Queen's Park to establish the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) may make it easier for commuters to move between different transit systems, but it won't do anything about traffic.

The mayor said there are too many cars on local roads with no solution in sight.

"This won't ease the traffic (problems) and the only thing that will is more money," said McCallion. "This government gave us (a percentage of) the gas tax but that's just a drop in the bucket. We need to bring our transit system up-to-date and (demand) continues to grow."

Speaking at a press conference in Toronto, Ontario Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar (MP for Mississauga Centre) said the GTTA would oversee the implementation of a fare card that would allow users to travel through multiple municipal borders and transit systems seamlessly.

The GTTA would also be responsible for managing GO Transit and would purchase buses in bulk so municipalities will save money.

"This is a great day for commuters across the GTA," said Takhar, noting that a 3.4 per cent increase in transit ridership would mean 18 million less cars on Ontario roads each year. "(Almost) 837,000 commuters drive and take public transit across municipal boundaries each day. The GTTA will make it as easy to take public transit as it is to take a car."

Takhar didn't know how much a proposed fare card will cost but did say he wants to start implementing the program by 2007 with full integration by 2011. Each transit system would be responsible for setting their own fares.

A GTTA advisory committee will be struck, with 11 members from municipalities across the GTA sitting on the board. Peel Region will have one representative and McCallion believes that person should be from Mississa[/u]

"Since (Mississauga Transit) is the third largest transit system in Ontario, it would be unusual if the representative wasn't from Mississauga," said McCallion.

Meanwhile, Mississauga Transit Director Bill Cunningham said the "long-awaited" GTTA will help eliminate the duplication of services that currently exists between municipalities. For example, both the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and Mississauga Transit operate buses on Burnhamthorpe Rd.

"You hear how easy it is to drive a car from Mississauga to Toronto but on a bus it becomes more difficult," said Cunningham, adding Mississauga Transit is already integrated with the Brampton and Oakville transit systems. "The news is very welcome."

Louroz

 

[FutureMayor]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

Can planned GTA transit network stay on track?
Apr. 25, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER


Will the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority soar like an eagle, or will it be a turkey?

That question was posed by Glen Grunwald, president of the Toronto Board of Trade, back in March when the province reconfirmed its commitment to creating a Greater Toronto Transportation Authority. Yesterday, as the GTTA was hatching, it was far too early to tell if this bird will fly.

Certainly commuters can hope that their trips to work and home will be made easier with some of the proposals to create seamless transit in the Toronto region bound by Oshawa in the east, Newmarket in the north and Hamilton to the west.

The government line is that a body that sets transportation policies from a regional point of view can curb sprawl, create efficient transit, save money by buying buses in bulk and tackle the congestion issue that drains about $2 billion a year from the local economy.

It all sounds wonderful.

No more tokens or tickets, just a universal fare card with the money going to the appropriate transit agency, elimination of the artificial boundaries that require users to pay a second fare when crossing from one region's system to another, and municipal politicians setting aside their constituents' interests to pursue the needs of another jurisdiction.

But commuters have every reason to be cynical. Some of the looming problems include:

There are no short-term gains: The best-case scenario has the fare card passing its 2007 pilot project with flying colours, then rolling out region- wide by 2010.

Politicians will run the GTTA: They think in three- to four-year terms and rarely have the long-term vision that transportation projects require. They can also be very parochial, despite their best intentions.

The GTTA has no backbone: There is no legislative requirement that the province and federal government will approve or fund the projects the GTTA recommends. The body can lay out all the five-year priority plans it wants, but if there's no money, there are no transit improvements.

The province says the GTTA will be allowed to borrow money to pay for infrastructure improvements. But it didn't say how it would pay that money back, a potentially dangerous downward spiral that could see revenue from fares go into paying interest on loans for capital projects rather than toward operating costs.

The politicians on hand yesterday sang from the same songbook of praise for the GTTA.

"The time has come that parochialism has to disappear," said Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion. "We have to look at the economic good of the area as a whole because gridlock and the lack of seamless transit system is not good for building the economy of the Greater Toronto Area."

York Region chair Bill Fisch agreed: "This is a very good beginning," he said. "It means we'll all be able to work together in a more co-ordinated fashion than we have in the past."

But even the optimism of Day 1 was tempered with the seeds of a turf war. The province and some of the municipalities hailed the coming of a day when a Mississauga or York Region bus could pick up passengers in Toronto, and drop them off in Toronto, en route to the subway — something that is prohibited now.

TTC chairman Howard Moscoe said that day won't come. "While the minister may want to do that, it isn't going to happen," said Moscoe, citing collective bargaining agreements as one reason why.

It's clear this body will operate on goodwill alone.

That may be good enough to start, with the current slate of municipal politicians more or less on the same side.

But it won't be enough to finish the job.

There's no guarantee any of these arm-in-arm, transit friendly politicians will win re-election municipally this November, or provincially in 2007.

So the bird may spread its wings, but those wings are too easily clipped.

Louroz

 

[Antiloop33rpm]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

A GTTA advisory committee will be struck, with 11 members from municipalities across the GTA sitting on the board. Peel Region will have one representative

One representative from all of Peel does seem low. But since that is the case a fairer solution would be to have each city in Peel rotate being a representative for the GTTA.

 

[spmarshall]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

One representative from all of Peel does seem low. But since that is the case a fairer solution would be to have each city in Peel rotate being a representative for the GTTA.

That would not include Caledon right now - it has no transit, apart from the guy who continues to persue his dream of a private system connecting its rural areas. One member seems low, given that population wise, Peel is twice the size of Halton and Hamilton, and about 50-66 percent larger than Durham. Does that rep have to be from Mississauga, so that Brampton gets an even shorter stick (given that Mississauga has little interest in cooperation)? Hell no.

 

[ahrvojic]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

"The time has come that parochialism has to disappear," said Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion.

Hazel? Is that you?

 

[GregWTravels]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

TTC chairman Howard Moscoe said that day won't come. "While the minister may want to do that, it isn't going to happen," said Moscoe, citing collective bargaining agreements as one reason why.

Exactly why the examples that they cited that work control the operations of the local transit agencies.

I really think, given the political relationships between the municipalities, and the relationships between the muncipalities and the province, that the GTTA will need to take over operations of the transit for this thing to have any of the benefits of consolidated operations.

Otherwise, it's just a layer of management on top of GO, the operator of the fare card system and a place for the local governments to scream and yell at each other.

 

[miketoronto]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

One step at a time. For starters I hope the GTTA makes one information number for the entire GTA. Its so stupid that you have to phone three different transit systems just to put a trip together, since each transit system is not allowed to give out info on the other system as it stands now.

 

[cassiusa]

Battle Lines Being Drawn - Remove the Lines

That's a good idea Mike. Also, the Transportation Authority should provide online trip information (be it that Google system or developed inhouse) so that people can figure out when they'll need to leave to get to their destination. Perhaps just colour-code the transit system by rapid transit lines, bus lines, LRT lines etc. as apposed to colour-coding the different systems.

I also agree that the Transportation Authority might need to take on more of a role in order to get the municipalities working together.

On a seperate note, why do the TA member have to be politicians? Why can't they just be hired employees?

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

Re: Battle Lines Already Being Drawn

^ Fair point.

Now, is Moscoe right about the collective agreements? Could the province really have put this together without talking to the unions?

 

[spmarshall]

Re: Battle Lines Being Drawn - Remove the Lines

On a seperate note, why do the TA member have to be politicians? Why can't they just be hired employees?

I agree with this to an extent. Politicans can be petty, short-sighted or have pie-in-the-sky visions. Staff can be more rooted in reality and think longer-term, but they could have no vision, or be hired out of consultant and engineering firms, which can be a problem.

I'm also worried about who will chair the board - will it end up like GO, with Gordon Chong and his company of stooges?