Is mobility pricing the missing link to solving our congestion and infrastructure woes?

TORONTO, November 22, 2011 – A diverse group of global transport experts, influential Canadian stakeholders and knowledgeable delegates are seeking a consensus today on the role of mobility pricing in solving Ontario’s ongoing transport challenges. While growing evidence of the socio-economic costs of traffic congestion and fraying road and transit infrastructure are leading many to shift their opinions on mobility pricing as a long-term remedy, broad public and political understanding remains elusive.

“The Transport Futures Mobility Pricing Stakeholder Forum is a continuation of our 3-year non-partisan discussion on how road tolls, parking fees and gas taxes can help reduce gridlock, minimize emissions, decrease car crashes and pay for the transportation services we use,” said Transport Futures founder Martin Collier. “If we want Ontario to move sustainably in the short and long-term, we need a rational and civil conversation on these cutting-edge solutions.”

Among the high profile speakers are transport economist Kurt Van Dender from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, German psychologist Jens Shade and founding Metrolinx CEO, Michael Fenn. Delegates representing Canadian government, business, academia and the non-profit sector will join with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the Canadian Automobile Association and the Ontario Good Roads Association to share new perspectives on the main public acceptance barriers to mobility pricing implementation: technology, equity, investment, governance and leadership.

Proceedings from the forum’s robust and interactive agenda will form the basis of a strategy that will explicitly explain mobility pricing costs and benefits for government, businesses and the general public. This strategy will be used during a series of GTA community workshops to be coordinated by Transport Futures in 2012.

“Mobility pricing in the form of road tolls essentially disappeared from transport policy in the 1920s so it will take some time to put it back on the front burner,” said Collier. “But I’m confident that our constructive dialogue will eventually lead to governments adopting mobility pricing as an integral solution to the many economic, environmental and quality of life challenges created by the current transportation system.”

The full agenda and speakers list from today’s conference is available at: http://www.transportfutures.ca/stakeholder.

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The Transport Futures “Mobility Pricing Stakeholder Forum” is the sixth in a series of learning events staged by Healthy Transport Consulting (HTC) since November 2008. We are the only Ontario-based organization facilitating a rational and ongoing dialogue pertaining to a range of challenging transportation demand management measures and infrastructure funding mechanisms. More than 600 delegates from across Canada have heard cutting-edge research, case studies and best practices from over 40 international experts - all of which has contributed to the public discourse on the future of transportation planning in the GTA and the rest of Ontario. Transport Futures is spearheaded by HTC Director Martin Collier with the support of a range of corporate and non-profit partners, including 407 ETR, the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario, CAA South Central Ontario, HDR Decision Economics, Siemens Canada and Sustainable Prosperity.