Ask a Question

  Q: Why did the GTTA change its name to Metrolinx?

A: The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) has a new “doing business as” name: Metrolinx. We believe Metrolinx succinctly describes our mandate to provide a seamless transportation network that links the metropolitan region that stretches from York and Durham Regions, through Toronto, Halton and Peel and onward to Hamilton.

Governed by this mandate and delivering various initiatives, we will “link people to places.” Metrolinx will work toward linking the many metropolitan areas within this vast region.

The Metrolinx name is bold and action-oriented to reflect the organization’s mission:

To champion, develop and implement an integrated transportation system for our region that enhances prosperity, sustainability and quality of life.

In developing its Corporate Strategic Plan, the Board of Directors provided direction to develop a branding strategy including renaming the GTTA to reflect this leadership role. It was recognized by the Board that GTTA is easily confused with the GTAA (Greater Toronto Airport Authority and GO Transit’s legal name (Greater Toronto Transit Authority).

For legal purposes, we’ll continue to use the GTTA name.

  Q: What is Metrolinx?

A: Metrolinx is a crown agency of the Province of Ontario. Its mandate is to improve the coordination and integration of all modes of transportation in the region, which stretches from Oshawa to Hamilton.

  Q: From where does Metrolinx get its authority?

A: Metrolinx is constituted under the Greater Toronto Authority Act, 2006.

  Q: What is Metrolinx doing to improve transit and transportation in the
             Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area?

A: One of Metrolinx’s first priorities over the next several months is the development of an integrated, multi-modal Regional Transportation Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). We will be working to improve the choices people have for transportation as they travel across the GTHA.

Q: How are you going to write the Regional Transportation Plan?

A: Metrolinx is using a very collaborative, consultative approach to developing the Regional Transportation Plan. The plan will begin with seven discussion papers on each of the following subjects:

• Towards Sustainable Development
• Mobility Hubs
• Walking, Cycling
• Transportation Demand Management
• Moving Goods and Delivering Services
• Highways and Roads
• Transit

Technical advisory groups with representatives from each of the municipalities, and the provincial and federal governments will have input into each of the papers. An Advisory Council, consisting of community leaders from across the GTHA will also provide input into the papers.

The seven discussion papers will be coordinated under the themes of people, the environment and the economy to form a Draft Regional Transportation Plan.

There will be opportunities at each stage of the process for those with a specific interest in any of the discussion papers, key stakeholders and the general public to provide their comments, concerns and ideas.

  Q: How will I be able to participate in the development of the Regional Transportation Plan?

A: Watch this site for opportunities to comment on all the papers that comprise the plan. There will also be public workshops and town halls so you can also participate in person.

  Q: Where will the money come from for the Regional Transportation Plan?

A: Metrolinx is responsible for developing an investment strategy to support the Regional Transportation Plan. This strategy will be developed in tandem with the transportation plan and will be released at the same time as the Draft Regional Transportation Plan.

To support the transit portion of the plan, in June 2007, Premier Dalton McGuinty, announced MoveOntario 2020 a $17.5 billion transit vision for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, including 52 candidate rapid transit projects totalling over 900 kms of new or improved transit routes. The Premier assigned Metrolinx with responsibility for reviewing the projects, recommending revisions where necessary, identifying priority projects and implementing a comprehensive transit plan over the next 12 years.

  Q: Are Metrolinx and its priorities linked to anything else the Province of Ontario is doing?

A: Metrolinx is the final piece in a three-part approach by the Provincial government to prepare the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region for growth and sustained prosperity. Building on the work of the Greater Golden Horseshoe Greenbelt, which protects more than 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive and agricultural land in the heart of the region, and Places to Grow, a plan that coordinates population, development and job growth Metrolinx will develop an internationally renowned world-class transportation system.

  Q. The Consultative Process: What is a Green Paper? What is a White Paper?

Metrolinx will release seven Green Papers as the first step in our open consultative process. These are preliminary reports that will be posted on the Metrolinx website and the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) Registry for interactive input from the public and stakeholders. Each Green Paper will focus on a key topic (for example, highways and roads) and ask the public to comment on how we could tackle that aspect of our current system. We will then release White Papers that will summarize and analyze the comments that we get on each Green Paper. At the same time, we will seek input from our stakeholders and from various experts. Their comments will be built into each White Paper. All the comments on the White Papers will lead to the development of a draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). We plan to hold a series of town hall meetings in your local communities next spring to solicit final public comments on the draft RTP.

  Q: If I have a complaint or suggestion about the transit service in the area of
             your mandate, should I talk to Metrolinx about it?

A: In the next few months, Metrolinx will be focusing its energies on improving the traveller’s experience across the region. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about inter-regional travel, please share them with us.  If your complaint is about a specific transit service, we suggest you also speak to your local transit service provider.