Now that we've survived all the hoopla surrounding the grand unveiling of the Greater Toronto Transportation Agency (GTTA), complete with the requisite wall of transit vehicles from the various GTA transit authorities as a photo backdrop, we're left wondering: What exactly is this new beast?
A work-in-progress is the obvious answer.
Surely no one could disagree with the need for a co-ordinating body to manage the mish-mash of transit systems in the GTA, to maximize efficiencies in routes across borders and create a one-fare "smart-card" system.
Mississauga's Harinder Takhar is the latest Transportation Msinister to "work toward" this goal. It won't be easy. And it's not certain that the GTTA will be any help, at least not in its present form.
There are major structural problems. The TTC is a mature system. The transit systems in the surrounding 905 regions are anything but. The TTC's budget (and its infrastructure replacement needs) dwarf those of the 905.
There are major political problems. Municipalities will still run transit systems and still receive funding from senior governments. Without the power of the purse, how will the GTTA convince cities and regions to work together?
The debate over structuring the board of the new body is a microcosm of the looming problems. As the largest transit entity by far, Toronto wanted the majority of voting power. The regions already have to live beside the elephant and they didn't want it running the circus.
Ontario has decided the board will consist of five 905 representatives, one from each region, four councillors from Toronto and two at-large "business" representatives appointed by Queen's Park. You can just imagine the behind-the-scenes machinations over those latter appointments. If Toronto Board of Trade President Glen Grunwald is one selection, the other had better be from the 905 or the body will face the wrath of Hazel and her cohorts.
It's obvious that Ontario hopes to introduce the concept of the GTTA, fiddle with its political make-up over time to find a workable balance, and then give it more and more power.
So how will the municipalities feel about giving up control?
They'll be opposed on principle of course, since they are elected to look after the transportation interests in their individual municipalities.
On the other hand, if a regional transit system can use new gas tax revenues to relieve the transit burden on the property tax, they'll take a lot more kindly to the concept.
Right now, the GTTA just looks like a nice lyric in search of a melody. You can't make music without all the pieces.
It also founds eerily similar to another regional co-ordinating body that died a slow death because it was never clear what it was, or exactly what it was supposed to do.
Can the GTTA avoid the long, slow fade to oblivion that was the fate of the late Greater Toronto Services Board?
Comments (3)
As a long-time Mississauga-TO commuter i just hope i can finally get a transfer from a mississauga transit bus to the subway at Islington.
I can get a transfer onto an Oakville bus from Mississauga (the two systems made peace years ago) but Mississauga Transit and the TTC won't even touch each other tickets.....
Posted by OJ | April 27, 2006 10:22 PM
Posted on April 27, 2006 22:22
GTTA Turf wars be damned!
The purpose of Municipal Government is for the good of the people. The purpose of the Provincial Government is for the good of the people. The purpose of public transit is for the good of the people.
The purpose of GO Transit is to provide public transit by the Government of Ontario for the people of Ontario. I say upload all the GTA transit systems and their costs to the Provincial Government and amalgamate them into GO Transit. The next layer of transit bellow GO Transit would be called ‘taxi’.
If the Provincial Government does not take real control and real responsibility for public transit in the GTA then all the Municipal boundaries and gaggle of unions will keep it from ever reaching its full potential. We the people need leadership on this issue not another layering on of administration that has many responsibilities but little authority.
As for the Transit Unions I believe if they calm their emotions and actually look at the possibilities they will see that there can be many benefits to their members. Pay scales post amalgamation tend to rise to a higher common denominator rather than the lower. Split shifts the bane of public transit operators could be reduced by having longer routes.
And get the friggin advertising off the busses. It’s an embarrassment.
Stephen Wahl
Mississauga
Posted by Stephen Wahl | April 27, 2006 12:15 PM
Posted on April 27, 2006 12:15
Recycling really does work! Approximately 15 years ago the Mississaga Board of Trade held a summit conference called " Transportation 2000". Participants ( some 200 plus )included New York experts,all levels of local government, industry and commerce and other interested parties. There were speeches/ break-out sessions / great summaries as to the woes that would befall us if 'WE ALL" didn't do something. Well, we all went home saying "WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING" otherwise there will be terrible gridlock,no inter-city transportation interfaces, gas will go to 70 cents a litre and then we will use public transportation ( which may or may not be in place ) and oh yes, we have to convince all the parties to work together and share the responsibility and dollar cost..Sure sounds like a repeat performance to me. Maybe another Summit is required ; "Transportation 2020, A Vision "
Posted by ron starr | April 26, 2006 4:23 PM
Posted on April 26, 2006 16:23