With nine transit systems handling over 518 million annual passenger trips and more than two million vehicles on Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area roads, Metrolinx will play a vital role in developing a plan to tackle congestion, coordinate and improve transit systems, and create a more sustainable economy, environment and quality of life for our region.

There are a number of big initiatives on the horizon for the Metrolinx. Here are just a few that will be of interest to anyone who needs to get around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, or is considering our region as a place to visit, invest, work or raise a family:

  MoveOntario 2020 Quick-Win Investment Package

Metrolinx, working collaboratively with municipal and GO Transit partners, is moving forward with early concrete steps to implement the government’s $17.5 billion MoveOntario 2020 vision for rapid transit expansion.

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  Capital Planning and Investment Strategy Framework

Metrolinx is also responsible for suggesting how to invest in assets and will develop a rolling, five-year capital plan towards that end. This will help make sure that there is a fair, transparent and easy-to-understand approach for prioritizing the transportation infrastructure investments that we will need to create a competitive, healthy and strong Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

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  Provincial Environmental Assessment Process for Transit Projects

Metrolinx is showing leadership by working with key stakeholders on developing regulatory and legislative changes that continue to protect the environment, but result in a significantly more streamlined environmental assessment process for public transit projects.

An initial round of consultations to identify opportunities for streamlining the environmental assessment process is complete. Regional municipalities, cities, and transit property owners, who plan and carry out environmental assessments, were participants in this initial round. Consultations also occurred with ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Environment (MOE), Transportation (MTO), Public Infrastructure Renewal (PIR), Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), Infrastructure Ontario (IO), and the Office of the Provincial Facilitator (OPF).

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  National Transit Strategy

In June 2007, the federal Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities announced the development of a National Transit Strategy, as a framework to capture objectives and priorities for public transit funding across the country. Metrolinx supports this effort to bring together the three levels of government to strategically develop and invest in transit projects that will help Canada achieve the goals stronger economic productivity and international trade competitiveness.

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 PRESTO Fare Card

In the summer of 2007, the PRESTO Fare Card was introduced on four Mississauga bus routes, two stations on the GO Transit Milton line and Union Station for both GO Transit and TTC. When the PRESTO Fare Card is transfered from the Ministry of Transportation/ GO Transit at some future point, Metrolinx will be responsible for the system that will allow riders to move across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region with a single fare card.

<< Link to PRESTO Fare Card site >>

  GO Transit

The Greater Toronto Transportation Act, 2006 provides for the eventual transfer of responsibility for GO Transit to Metrolinx, after the applicable sections of the Act are proclaimed in force.  To that end, Metrolinx is working with GO Transit on a transition strategy to examine, on a pro-active basis, the options and implications of such a transfer. GO Transit is one of North America’s most successful regional public transportation providers. GO will be the strategic lever in moving the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton towards more seamless transportation integration. GO is exceptional by many standards. It serves a population of 5 million people every day, and it covers about 90 per cent of its operating costs from the fare box. That's one of the best cost-recovery ratios in the world. Metrolinx’s goal is to introduce full-time two-way service on all GO train corridors, to extend GO train service deeper into Durham, Peel and York regions, and to upgrade GO train stations into community focal-point “mobility hub."

<< Link to GO Transit site >>

  Smart Commute

Smart Commute is a partnership between the cities and regions of the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton. With the goal of helping make travel easier, healthier and more enjoyable, Smart Commute’s mission is to reduce traffic congestion and to take action on climate change through transportation efficiency.

Working in these communities, Smart Commute encourages local employers and commuters to explore more sustainable transportation choices like carpooling, teleworking, transit, cycling, walking or flexible work hours. Starting on January 1, 2008 the Smart Commute Association will become part of Metrolinx. Metrolinx will play a role ensuring Smart Commute's on-going financial sustainability.

<< Link to Smart Commute >>

  Transportation Investment Strategy Work Plan

Mextrolinx will develop an investment strategy to identify the suite of potential financial tools and revenue sources to fund the initiatives and priorities identified in the Regional Transportation Plan.

  Potential for an Intercity Bus Terminal at 90 Harbour Street, Toronto

The Metrolinx Board recently asked the Province of Ontario to retain ownership of the old OPP Headquarters on 90 Harbour Street, until Metrolinx established a position on the possible use of this site for an intercity bus terminal and mixed-use development.

Following through on the direction of the Board, Metrolinx is currently carrying out a preliminary assessment of the costs, benefits and impacts of locating a bus terminal at 90 Harbour Street in preparation for our report-back to the Board in early 2008. The assessment will also consider the option of reinvesting in the existing Toronto Coach Terminal at Bay and Dundas Streets.

  Trip Planner and Carbon Footprint Calculator

Metrolinx will collaborate with GO Transit, TTC and other transit and transportation providers across our region to implement a one-stop integrated trip planner system hosted by www.metrolinx.com. The trip planner will be customer-friendly: key in your origin and destination point, and the trip planner will display departure and arrival times, connection opportunities, fares and a route map. You will also find convenient links to real-time traffic and weather conditions, traffic incident reports, and even airport and border crossing delays. Metrolinx will also introduce a carbon footprint calculator feature which will measure the impact of our individual transportation and travel decisions on the quality of our air and natural environment.

  Ontario-wide Transit Purchasing Co-operative

Metrolinx will help municipalities across Ontario to save costs by coordinating their transit fleet acquisition orders, equipment specifications, and timing. By working collaboratively, we can reduce the unit cost of new buses, allowing the savings to be returned to taxpayers or reinvested in better transit customer service. It also allows us to advance public standards in areas such as environmental performance, fuel economy, disability access and advanced technology in a consistent and cost-effective way.

  Ensuring Safety and Security from Oshawa to Hamilton

All municipal and transit authorities have instituted emergency and safety plans to protect their residents, riders and business operations. In the event of a large scale natural disaster and public emergency, however, the consequences could easily cross municipal boundaries and affect neighbouring transit systems. We are one metropolitan region from Oshawa to Hamilton to Georgina; our legislation mandates Metrolinx to plan our response to emergency situations with that regional scope in mind.