Transportation Planning Branch The Provincial Role in TDM: Ontario’s Perspective Canadian TDM Summit 2009 November 18, 2009 Joe Perrotta, MCIP, RPP Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Urban Planning Office

Transportation Planning Branch Outline  Why TDM?  The provincial role in TDM  Ontario Ministry of Transportation TDM initiatives  TDM in Planning  MTO Operations  Municipal Capacity Building  Educational initiatives  Complementary initiatives  Moving Forward

Transportation Planning Branch  TDM strategies have multiple benefits including:  Reduced traffic congestion  Increased transit ridership  Energy conservation through reduced reliance on cars and oil  Reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emissions  Improved mobility for non-drivers  Improved health through active transportation  Transit-, pedestrian-, and cycling-oriented neighbourhoods and developments  Cost savings through reduced need for highway and parking infrastructure improvements  A more sustainable transportation system Why TDM?

Transportation Planning Branch  Supporting TDM works to achieve key provincial objectives:  Building strong and vital communities  Making communities healthy places to live  Promoting sustainable transportation and land use planning  Making transit a first priority  Addressing the challenge of climate change  Go Green: Ontario’s Action Plan on Climate Change sets aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets:  6% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2014  15% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2020  80% reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2050  Effective management of travel demand is an essential part of achieving Ontario’s climate change goals  Approximately 30% of Ontario’s total GHG emissions can be attributed to transportation. Why TDM?

Transportation Planning Branch  There are a number of opportunities for provincial governments to play a role in supporting TDM, for example:  Planning and coordinating TDM-supportive infrastructure and operations  Identifying funding needs, gaps, opportunities, and partnerships  Developing province-wide promotion and capacity-building activities  Promoting linkages and coordination – federal, municipal, NGO  Investigating legislative/regulatory barriers to implementing TDM strategies  Showing leadership as an employer  Developing guidelines and tools for integrating TDM into land use and transportation planning, subdivision review, etc.  Considering TDM in all provincial engineering projects and environmental studies The Provincial Role in TDM

Transportation Planning Branch  The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is integrating TDM into its work on a number of fronts:  Planning processes  Environmental Assessment  MTO operations  Sustainability strategy  Integrating active transportation  Municipal capacity building  Ontario TDM Municipal Grant Program  Transit Supportive Land Use Planning Guidelines Taking Action

Transportation Planning Branch Environmental Assessment  In order to optimize existing infrastructure, MTO’s environmental assessment (EA) process requires TDM strategies to be considered as thoroughly as possible before new or expanded infrastructure is planned.  EA studies consider TDM plans and initiatives proposed by other agencies in addition to further initiatives proposed by the study team or through public input.  TDM initiatives are then grouped along with other modal alternatives and assessed against projected transportation challenges to determine planning alternatives TDM in Planning

Transportation Planning Branch GTA West Corridor Study  The GTA West Corridor study is currently considering TDM and multi- modal alternatives such as:  Employer TDM program support  Facilitation of carpooling  Increased transit service and improved integration between systems  Improved integration of active transportation opportunities with transit.  Proposals build on existing initiatives, for example by expanding employer-based TDM programs outside the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.  Through trip reduction and changes in urban travel patterns, proposed TDM initiatives along with some system optimization improvements could result in a 4% decline in inter-regional auto travel within the study area TDM in Planning

Transportation Planning Branch MTO Sustainability Strategy  MTO’s senior management has endorsed development of a sustainability strategy for the Ministry to integrate sustainability into the Ministry’s decision making, programs, policies and operations.  The Sustainability Strategy outlines seven strategic goals which support TDM principles.  Increase accessibility by improving mobility, modal choice, and safety  Integrate transportation and land use planning to reflect sustainability  Consistently apply a context sensitive approach  Optimize infrastructure design, capacity, and investment  Demonstrate good stewardship of the natural environment  Engage MTO staff expertise to promote innovation  Drive a cultural shift towards sustainability  Developed as an internal resources for MTO staff to assist them in attaining these goals, it will be available to broader audience next year. MTO Operations

Transportation Planning Branch Active Transportation  MTO is actively working to promote sustainable, multi- modal transportation networks, for example by:  Supporting cycling connections to GO transit  GO buses equipped with bicycle racks.  Sheltered bike parking at train stations.  Improving station access on foot, bicycle and by local transit.  Developing tools to better integrate active transportation networks into overall transportation planning, for example:  Reviewing integration of pedestrians and cyclists at highway interchanges and overpass bridges  Mapping points where cycling networks intersect with the provincial infrastructure  Ongoing education  Working with the Ministry of Education to including cycling in the physical education curriculum MTO Operations

Transportation Planning Branch Ontario TDM Municipal Grant Program  The TDM Municipal Grant Program was established as a pilot project in  The objectives of the program:  Assist municipalities in implementing TDM strategies.  Encourage municipalities to include TDM initiatives in their normal transportation planning processes.  Eligible project categories:  Promotion and education  TDM plans  Projects and tools  Workshops and conferences  A maximum of $50,000 per project  2009/10 Program currently underway Municipal Capacity Building

Transportation Planning Branch  TDM grant program first year projects  Barrie - Bicycle Locking Post Program and Car-Free Sunday  Brampton - Pathways Signage Program  Guelph - Community-Based Social Marketing for Walk to School Pilot Project  Haliburton - Building Capacity for Active Transportation in Haliburton County  Kitchener - Kitchener Cycling Master Plan Update  London - London's Travel Wise Community - Moving TDM Forward  Niagara - Regional Niagara TDM Policy  North Bay - City of North Bay Transit Outreach Program  Oakville - Oakville's TDM Initiatives  Peel - Interactive Web-Based Active Transportation Map  Peterborough - Bikeway and Trail Signage Project  Sarnia – Transit Promotion Video Game for Schools  Temiskaming Shores - Cycle Now Educational and Promotional Program  Wide range of applications  Applicants include both small and large municipalities from all parts of the province.  Variety of initiatives funded, including policy development, cycling promotion, walk to school programs, etc.  Recipients of the round of funding will be announced in the new year. mto.gov.on.ca Municipal Capacity Building

Transportation Planning Branch Oshawa Burlington Chatham-Kent Ajax Casselman Mississauga Niagara Hamilton Toronto Russell York Ontario Municipal TDM Grant Program Municipalities Submitting Applications Whitby Kingston Northumberland County Cramahe Twp Dryden Thunder Bay Brant County Mississippi Mills Ottawa Huron County Muskoka Vaughan Kawartha Lakes Windsor Waterloo

Transportation Planning Branch Transit-Supportive Land Use Planning Guidelines  First published in 1992 to provide best practice guidelines for municipalities in order to build more transit-supportive communities.  Currently being updated to reflect current policy, approaches and language.  Central themes:  Integrated planning  Transit-oriented development  Sustainability  Public transit infrastructure investment  Multi-modal & regional connectivity  Active transportation  Intensification  Accessibility Municipal Capacity Building

Transportation Planning Branch MTO programs  Ontario transit planning and investment  GO Transit  Dedicated gas tax  MoveOntario 2020  Presto Card fare system  HOV lane program  Carpool lot program Other Ontario government initiatives  Places to Grow: Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe – Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure  Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living – Ministry of Health Promotion Complementary Ontario Initiatives

Transportation Planning Branch  MTO’s primary goal is to provide an efficient and sustainable transportation system that supports a globally competitive economy and high quality of life.  In the current climate of limited funding TDM initiatives will only become more essential in ensuring that MTO can achieve its goals.  MTO will continue to work with Federal and Municipal partners to coordinate and implement TDM initiatives throughout Ontario. Moving Forward