Thread by @TOSciPolicyNet

Our #JustTheFacts #transit panel is underway! Follow the live stream here:

To start @BenSpurr gives a brief introduction of the #toronto #transit system.

DYK: The Eglington LRT project is currently the largest public transit infrastructure project in Canada.

We asked each of our panelists: if you had three minutes with a decision maker, what one policy or research finding would you propose?

Cherise (@CheriseBurda) highlights the need to use aggregate data to determine where ridership needs are greatest and reapply investment to these locations with quick to deploy rapid surface transit solutions.

It is really key to identify where transit is overcrowded and underused and re-prioritize services.

Amanda from @880Cities also highlights the need to re-prioritizing services: "Better buses can address multiple crises the #Toronto is facing with an eye to a better transit future."

She also notes that essential workers are the ones currently riding the bus. They are also more likely to be women, racialized, low-income, and born outside of Canada.

Her recommendation is to increase bus priority lanes. By enhancing "essential service for essential workers, especially in a pandemic - we meet our long-term goals of becoming more equitable."

Matti from @UofTCities spoke to the need to use evidence-based decision making. Studies show that the Scarborough subway and Eglington West extensions are multibillion-dollar projects which studies show, that they will not deliver return on investment.

When we don't use evidence in making these decisions, then resources can be misallocated and draw money away from the necessary and critical investments we need.

Improving #transit funding is critical to improve our sustainability and transit. Cherise says: "Pay what you burn, not what you earn"

When the pandemic ends, we are going to need and improve transit revenue. Beginning to plan programs like road charges now, to start once the economy is more stable, is really important, says Matti.

When asked about what cities have the best transit system, our panelists highlight Hong Kong, London (UK), Paris, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Denver.

The key to a good transit system is integration between land use and integration. Building transit systems that don't just prioritize cars, but consider pedestrians, bikes and public transit.

Paris is planning to become a 15-minute city. This means that from where ever you are, it takes a 15-minute walk to any essential service - including groceries, banks, and health care offices.

The King St Pilot has shown that we can use pilot projects to implement new transit projects quickly and allows us to pivot if needed and build more permanent solutions.

Having data helps inform and diffuse some of the debate surrounding these proposals. And informs elected officials in the decision making process.

Amanda and Cherise emphasize that technology is not the be-all-end-all - technology should only be implemented to supplement existing services with equity concerns at the forefront

Matti emphasized that the public interest should be at the heart of decisions surrounding microtransit and other implementations of technology - ridesharing companies have written their own rules at the expense of the transit and transportation systems, and the public.

Microtransit systems can be useful in places in the inner suburbs where there are less transit paths available. Cherise notes that Belleville is currently running a pilot program with on demand technology to call buses to a stop as needed.

Matti highlights the work of @MischaYoung who found that Uber is mostly used at night used at night, when public transit is not running.

The risk of microtransit is that it becomes hugely expensive - we cannot pay for private chauffeurs for everyone, this is catastrophic for the climate and doesn’t really solve the problem. Mass transit is the solution, built in conjunction with different players.

The pandemic has caused us to rethink density. We have a poor pattern of development in our region - tall and sprawl.

Municipalities have tried to achieve their intensification targets by building huge targets and continuing to sprawl out at the fringes - this hasn’t created the neighbourhoods where we want to live. Where are the 15-minute neighbourhoods?

It’s important to focus on building complete neighbourhoods and less about the commute. Its important that we start building with schools, parks, and libraries.

CityPlace was a failure because they didn’t start with the key services for people - schools, childcare, etc. They built the school this year after decades!

Much of the dynamism is taking place in communities that were historically low-density. The geography is shifting, new ideas are taking hold, and this could be very powerful for our region.

When asked about the future of #Toronto #transit post-pandemic, Amanda notes the the future is what we make it! We need to decide, based on our values of climate justice and equity that transit needs to be prioritized! It is vital to moving our city forward.

Cherise adds that we need to make the best use of our streets for people. Not just places for cars with people at the sidelines!

We need to refocus on bus rapid transit, make sure we have a strong grid so that people can get where they need to go! We’ve been building a bizarre transit system that doesn’t fit the grid. We need a transit system that is low carbon and connects neighbourhoods and communities.

Matti notes that transit could fall off a cliff after the pandemic, once bills come due. Its important to keep investing in and prioritizing public transit systems.

Making transit free will not necessarily going to increase the equity of transit, if the fares aren’t supplemented by other sources of funding. A well working and comprehensive transit system is better than a free transit system.

Cherise suggests implementing different pricing structures to make transit more affordable for low-income families could be an alternative solution. And Matti also suggests peak pricing which would also help increase equity.

Public-private partnerships (P3s) are not a cheap way to deliver infrastructure. Governments pay more money up-front to avoid cost overruns later. We have done a number of P3s and in each of those cases there have been major challenges.

P3 was meant to transfer risk from the public sector to the private sector but it hasn’t happened! The P3 model is not infallible and in many cases faces the same problems. We are at a crossroads with respect to the effectiveness of P3s in the transit space.

We need to use evidence to compare the experiences between public-private partnerships and traditional builds to really get at where the benefits and where the costs are for both.

Toronto’s transit system is funded by fares. The involvement of provincial governments in municipal public transit really comes down to politics. Investments are made to new projects rather than providing operating funding. Investing in operations is not glamorous.

Ultimately, regardless of whether its the provincial government or the municipal government funding transit, its still tax payer money.

E-scooters do have a role to play in transit. It is a tool but we need to be strategic in implementing it. Like bikes and e-bikes, we need to provide space for their use and new regulations. Its important to keep pedestrian safety and accessibility in mind.

"We need to think less like a city and more like a region", says Matti. As the GTA and surrounding areas continue to grow, different levels of governments and municipalities need to collaborate to really improve our transit system.