Public transit is at the nexus of solving Canada’s most pressing challenges. It is a solution to the rising cost of living. It helps us reduce carbon emissions. It is the most powerful method of tackling traffic congestion. It is the lifeblood of economic growth in our towns and cities. It enables building the kind of dense, sustainable and cost-efficient housing supply we need to tackle the housing crisis.
However, we have a big problem. Public transit systems across Canada are in a financial crisis. If this historic challenge isn’t overcome, we risk a future that is costlier, more polluting, and where gridlock holds people and goods back from their full potential.
Communities across the country face the threat of a public transit downward spiral where cuts to service only drive further losses in ridership and revenues. This creates a vicious cycle that only serves to increase carbon emissions, hurt the most vulnerable in our society and discourage the transit-oriented development projects we need to solve the housing crisis.
It is in this context that Environmental Defence is hosting the Transit for Tomorrow Summit in Ottawa on October 28th. We’re happy to announce the program and what you can expect from the event.
What is the “Transit for Tomorrow” summit about?
Public transit systems across Canada have a broken funding model. This summit is about how all levels of government, working together, can help fix it. It is a chance for public transit advocates to convene, communicate the urgency of action to policymakers, and highlight the crucial role of public transit in creating equitable cities, building a stronger economy and meeting Canada’s climate objectives.
Who should attend?
The summit welcomes all public transit advocates and allies, rider advocacy groups, transit riders and enthusiasts, environmentalists, federal, provincial, and municipal officials, mayors and city councillors, public transit agencies, associations, unions, the business community and other groups interested in better public transit and sustainable, equitable cities.
What to expect?
Activities include a full day of panels, presentations and speeches from policy experts, municipal leaders, transit stakeholders, transit rider advocates, and representatives from federal political parties, with lunch included. The event will be fully bilingual with simultaneous translation provided.
Event Program
9:00 am: Opening Remarks
Nate Wallace, Program Manager, Clean Transportation, Environmental Defence
9:05am: Keynote
David Miller, Managing Director, C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy. Former Mayor, City of Toronto.
9:20am: Panel: Fixing Public Transit’s Broken Funding Model
Moderator:
Joanne Chianello, Senior Advisor at StrategyCorp, formerly CBC Ottawa.
Panelists:
Éric Alan Caldwell, Chair of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).
Sharon Fleming, Director of Calgary Transit.
Jamaal Myers, Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
Mayor Brad West, Chair of TransLink’s Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation.
10:20am: Coffee Break
10:30am: Political Speaker
MP Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
10:45am: Unlocking the Power of Public Transit to Cut Carbon Emissions
Nate Wallace, Clean Transportation Program Manager, Environmental Defence
Blandine Sebileau, Analyste, Mobilité durable, Équiterre.
11:00am: Keynote
Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of Edmonton
11:15am: Panel: Building the Future of Transit and Housing
Moderator:
Marc-André Viau, Director of Government Relations at Équiterre
Panelists:
Christian Savard, General Manager of Vivre en Ville.
Sabrina Hamidullah, Director, Real Estate Development, TransLink.
Dr. Carolyn Whitzman, senior housing researcher at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities.
12:00pm: Networking and Lunch Break
12:30pm: Joint Declaration and Photo Opportunity
Media availability in a separate room. Lunch continues for attendees.
1:00pm: Keynote
Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto (Virtual)
1:15pm: Panel: How Public Transit can Build More Inclusive Communities
Moderator:
David Cooper, Principal, Leading Mobility Consulting
Panelists:
Steven Farber, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Toronto Scarborough and Project Director of Mobilizing Justice.
Apooyak’ii / Dr. Tiffany Hind Bull-Prete, assistant professor at the University of Lethbridge.
Dr. Léa Ravensbergen, Assistant Professor at McMaster University.
1:55pm: Political Speakers
MP representatives from federal political parties:
MP Taylor Bachrach (NDP)
MP Xavier Barsalou-Duval (Bloc)
2:25pm: Rider Stories Video
Environmental Defence presents the voices of transit riders and share insights from thousands of transit riders nationwide who support today’s declaration.
2:35pm: Panel: Why Transit Matters for People
Moderator:
Shelagh Pizey-Allen, Executive Director of TTC Riders
Panelists:
John Di Nino, President, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Canada.
Denis Agar, Executive Director, Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders.
Sally Thomas, Board Member, Ottawa Transit Riders, founding member of ParaParity.
David Beauchamp, Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator for Trajectoire Québec
3:20pm: Panel: Why Transit Matters for the Economy
Moderator:
Marco D’Angelo, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association
Panelists:
Dr. Eric J. Miller, professor at the University of Toronto.
Harkirat Singh, Deputy Mayor of Brampton
Jennifer McNeill, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for New Flyer and Motorcoach Industries
4:00pm: Political Speakers (Continued)
MP representatives from federal political parties:
MP Mike Morrice (Green)
4:15pm: Closing Remarks
Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence Canada
Tickets are now sold out.
