Transcript 9-2 Joe Perotta - Provincial Role in TDM, Ontario

The Provincial Role in TDM:
Ontario’s Perspective
Canadian TDM Summit 2009
November 18, 2009
Joe Perrotta, MCIP, RPP
Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Urban Planning Office
Transportation
Planning Branch
Outline





Why TDM?
The provincial role in TDM
Ontario Ministry of Transportation TDM initiatives
 TDM in Planning
 MTO Operations
 Municipal Capacity Building
 Educational initiatives
Complementary initiatives
Moving Forward
Transportation
Planning Branch
Why TDM?

TDM strategies have multiple benefits including:









Reduced traffic congestion
Increased transit ridership
Energy conservation through reduced reliance on cars and oil
Reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
Improved mobility for non-drivers
Improved health through active transportation
Transit-, pedestrian-, and cycling-oriented neighbourhoods and
developments
Cost savings through reduced need for highway and parking
infrastructure improvements
A more sustainable transportation system
Transportation
Planning Branch
Why TDM?

Supporting TDM works to achieve key provincial objectives:






Go Green: Ontario’s Action Plan on Climate Change sets aggressive
greenhouse gas reduction targets:




Building strong and vital communities
Making communities healthy places to live
Promoting sustainable transportation and land use planning
Making transit a first priority
Addressing the challenge of climate change
6% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2014
15% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2020
80% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2050
Effective management of travel demand is an essential part of
achieving Ontario’s climate change goals

Approximately 30% of Ontario’s total GHG emissions can be attributed to
transportation.
Transportation
Planning Branch
The Provincial Role in TDM

There are a number of opportunities for provincial governments
to play a role in supporting TDM, for example:








Planning and coordinating TDM-supportive infrastructure and
operations
Identifying funding needs, gaps, opportunities, and partnerships
Developing province-wide promotion and capacity-building activities
Promoting linkages and coordination – federal, municipal, NGO
Investigating legislative/regulatory barriers to implementing TDM
strategies
Showing leadership as an employer
Developing guidelines and tools for integrating TDM into land use
and transportation planning, subdivision review, etc.
Considering TDM in all provincial engineering projects and
environmental studies
Transportation
Planning Branch
Taking Action

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is
integrating TDM into its work on a number of fronts:

Planning processes



Environmental Assessment
MTO operations

Sustainability strategy

Integrating active transportation
Municipal capacity building

Ontario TDM Municipal Grant Program

Transit Supportive Land Use Planning Guidelines
Transportation
Planning Branch
TDM in Planning
Environmental Assessment

In order to optimize existing infrastructure, MTO’s environmental
assessment (EA) process requires TDM strategies to be considered as
thoroughly as possible before new or expanded infrastructure is planned.

EA studies consider TDM plans and initiatives proposed by other
agencies in addition to further initiatives proposed by the study team or
through public input.

TDM initiatives are then grouped along with other modal alternatives and
assessed against projected transportation challenges to determine
planning alternatives
Transportation
Planning Branch
TDM in Planning
GTA West Corridor Study

The GTA West Corridor study is currently considering TDM and multimodal alternatives such as:




Employer TDM program support
Facilitation of carpooling
Increased transit service and improved integration between systems
Improved integration of active transportation opportunities with transit.

Proposals build on existing initiatives, for example by expanding
employer-based TDM programs outside the Greater Toronto Area and
Hamilton.

Through trip reduction and changes in urban travel patterns, proposed
TDM initiatives along with some system optimization improvements
could result in a 4% decline in inter-regional auto travel within the
study area
Transportation
Planning Branch
MTO Operations
MTO Sustainability Strategy


MTO’s senior management has endorsed development of a
sustainability strategy for the Ministry to integrate sustainability into the
Ministry’s decision making, programs, policies and operations.
The Sustainability Strategy outlines seven strategic goals which
support TDM principles.








Increase accessibility by improving mobility, modal choice, and safety
Integrate transportation and land use planning to reflect sustainability
Consistently apply a context sensitive approach
Optimize infrastructure design, capacity, and investment
Demonstrate good stewardship of the natural environment
Engage MTO staff expertise to promote innovation
Drive a cultural shift towards sustainability
Developed as an internal resources for MTO staff to assist them in
attaining these goals, it will be available to broader audience next year.
Transportation
Planning Branch
MTO Operations
Active Transportation

MTO is actively working to promote sustainable, multimodal transportation networks, for example by:

Supporting cycling connections to GO transit
 GO buses equipped with bicycle racks.
 Sheltered bike parking at train stations.
 Improving station access on foot, bicycle and by local
transit.

Developing tools to better integrate active transportation
networks into overall transportation planning, for example:
 Reviewing integration of pedestrians and cyclists at
highway interchanges and overpass bridges
 Mapping points where cycling networks intersect with the
provincial infrastructure
Ongoing education
 Working with the Ministry of Education to including cycling
in the physical education curriculum

Transportation
Planning Branch
Municipal Capacity Building
Ontario TDM Municipal Grant Program

The TDM Municipal Grant Program was established as a pilot project in 2008.

The objectives of the program:



Eligible project categories:






Assist municipalities in implementing TDM strategies.
Encourage municipalities to include TDM initiatives in their normal transportation
planning processes.
Promotion and education
TDM plans
Projects and tools
Workshops and conferences
A maximum of $50,000 per project
2009/10 Program currently underway
Transportation
Planning Branch
Municipal Capacity Building

TDM grant program first year projects














Wide range of applications



Barrie - Bicycle Locking Post Program and Car-Free Sunday
Brampton - Pathways Signage Program
Guelph - Community-Based Social Marketing for Walk to School Pilot Project
Haliburton - Building Capacity for Active Transportation in Haliburton County
Kitchener - Kitchener Cycling Master Plan Update
London - London's Travel Wise Community - Moving TDM Forward
Niagara - Regional Niagara TDM Policy
North Bay - City of North Bay Transit Outreach Program
Oakville - Oakville's TDM Initiatives
Peel - Interactive Web-Based Active Transportation Map
Peterborough - Bikeway and Trail Signage Project
Sarnia – Transit Promotion Video Game for Schools
Temiskaming Shores - Cycle Now Educational and Promotional Program
Applicants include both small and large municipalities from all parts of the province.
Variety of initiatives funded, including policy development, cycling promotion, walk to school programs, etc.
Recipients of the 2009-10 round of funding will be announced in the new year.
mto.gov.on.ca
Transportation
Planning Branch
Dryden
Thunder Bay
Russell
Ottawa
Casselman
Mississippi
Mills
Muskoka
Kawartha
Lakes
Huron
County
Northumberland
County
Cramahe Twp
Oshawa
York
Whitby
Vaughan Ajax
Toronto
Mississauga
Waterloo
Burlington
Brant
County
Chatham-Kent
Transportation
Planning Branch
Windsor
Kingston
Hamilton
Niagara
Ontario Municipal TDM
Grant Program 2009-10
Municipalities Submitting
Applications
Municipal Capacity Building
Transit-Supportive Land Use Planning Guidelines

First published in 1992 to provide best practice guidelines for
municipalities in order to build more transit-supportive communities.

Currently being updated to reflect current policy, approaches and
language.

Central themes:








Integrated planning
Transit-oriented development
Sustainability
Public transit infrastructure investment
Multi-modal & regional connectivity
Active transportation
Intensification
Accessibility
Transportation
Planning Branch
Complementary Ontario Initiatives
MTO programs

Ontario transit planning and investment



GO Transit
Dedicated gas tax
MoveOntario 2020

Presto Card fare system

HOV lane program

Carpool lot program
Other Ontario government initiatives


Places to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe –
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living – Ministry of Health
Promotion
Transportation
Planning Branch
Moving Forward

MTO’s primary goal is to provide an efficient and sustainable
transportation system that supports a globally competitive
economy and high quality of life.

In the current climate of limited funding TDM initiatives will only
become more essential in ensuring that MTO can achieve its
goals.

MTO will continue to work with Federal and Municipal partners
to coordinate and implement TDM initiatives throughout Ontario.
Transportation
Planning Branch