Introduction

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in North America. With a population expected to surge to over 10 million by 2050, the demand for efficient and reliable transportation will be paramount.  A robust transit network is not merely a convenience; it is an essential component of sustainable urban development, economic growth, and social equity.

The GTA's Population Growth

The GTA's population growth is fuelled by both natural increase and immigration. According to projections, the region will add over 2.5 million residents between 2025 and 2050.  This rapid growth will put immense pressure on the existing infrastructure, including transportation systems.   This growth doesn't even consider the growth of the connecting areas just beyond the GTA including Niagara, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Peterborough.

The Importance of Transit

A well-developed transit network offers numerous benefits to the GTA and its residents such as:

• Reduced Traffic Congestion:  As the population grows, so does the number of vehicles on the road.  A robust transit system encourages people to use public transportation, reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality.

• Economic Growth:  Efficient transit systems connect people to jobs, education, and essential services.  This accessibility fosters economic growth and enhances the region's competitiveness.

• Environmental Sustainability:  Public transportation produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions per passenger than private vehicles.  Expanding the transit network is crucial for achieving environmental sustainability goals.

• Social Equity:  Transit provides affordable transportation options for all residents, regardless of income or ability to own a car.  This promotes social equity and accessibility.

Plan Design Challenges and Solutions

While the importance of transit is clear, it is even more important to define and implement a transportation plan that meets the needs of the city that will exist in the future.   Defining the plan that works best involves some key design principles.

Starting with the System That Exists

All good plans accept that it is better to start with something than to start with nothing.  We must not rebuild at great expense things that weren't build ideally unless it completely blocks the implementation of a plan that can meet the needs of tomorrow.

Transit Planning and Land Use Planning Work Together

Growth will not be evenly spread across the Greater Toronto Area.  Development and land use intensification will occur in designated "places to grow" centres (shown below), in low density commercial areas and underutilised malls with large empty parking lots, and along major avenues.  Major destinations such as Pearson Airport, Colleges, and Universities will grow to support the growing population of the city.  Creating a transportation system that focuses on these areas of greatest growth will achieve the greatest level of sustainability.

Key areas for transportation focus based on expected growth:

• Toronto Centres:  Downtown Toronto, Midtown, North York Centre, Scarborough Centre, and Etobicoke Centre.

• Bordering Urban Centres:  Mississauga City Centre, Downtown Brampton, Vaughan Corporate Centre, the Richmond Hill / Langstaff Gateway, Markham Centre, and Pickering Centre.

• Pearson Airport

Speed, Connectivity, and Station or Stop Convenience Matters

A public transit system must be competitive with other transportation options.  If public transit takes significantly longer time than alternatives such as private vehicles and ride-sharing services then mass transit will not get significant market share and will lead to lost economic opportunity in the region.  To achieve all three of these points there must be:

• Services that stop less frequently so they can cover longer distances more quickly.

• Services with higher acceleration so that each stop on the route has less effect on the overall schedule of the route.

• Frequent services so that time spent waiting for the vehicle to arrive at the point of origin and a transfer points is reduced.

• A mix of local, medium distance, and regional services to shorten distances to the nearest stop while ensuring routes exist to move more quickly across greater distances.

• A network design which allows more trips to be accomplished with less transfers through good line and transfer location placement.

• Locating transportation hubs in the locations where the greatest growth will occur.

• Direct routes between neighbouring centres of growth.

Conclusion and Plan Goals

The GTA's continued growth necessitates a robust and expansive transit network. Investing in transit is not merely a cost; it is an investment in the region's future. By prioritizing transit, the GTA can ensure a sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future for all its residents.

The GTA Transit 2050 Plan achieves these goals through building on a solid foundation, avoiding reinvention, growing the system organically, pairing land use intensification with transit development, and focusing on speed, connectivity, and convenience.  Review the plan and see for yourself.