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Moving the Economy Sustainable Transportation Sector Development
The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (May 12, 1999) from the Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services:
Purpose:
To provide an update on Moving The Economy Sustainable Transportation Sector Development
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
None
Recommendations:
It is recommended that Urban Environment Development Committee:
1. endorse the Moving The Economy (MTE) goals and objectives related to developing and implementing the Sector Development Strategy for Sustainable Transportation.
2. continue to provide information and staff support to facilitate partnerships and projects aimed at attracting investment to Toronto's sustainable transportation sector through the Sector Development Strategy's two key directions: establishment of the Sector Development Agency for Sustainable Transportation, and development of Personal Mobility Systems (see description and attached).
Background:
In July of 1998, The City of Toronto and Transportation Options hosted Moving the Economy: Economic Opportunities in Sustainable Transportation, the first international conference of the new City. This highly successful event linked economic opportunity with sustainable transportation by showcasing over 200 living examples from around the world where sustainable transportation has created jobs, boosted business, saved money, or revitalized the local economy. Over 540 leaders in business, government, labour, and community from 16 different countries attended the conference. On the Sunday of the conference a special consultation session laid the foundation for the development of a Sector Development Strategy for Sustainable Transportation in Toronto.
The Sustainable Transportation Sector refers to all business, industry, employment or other economic activity related to sustainable transportation. Sustainable transportation can be briefly described as "moving people and goods in cleaner and greener ways, and, where possible, not moving people and goods". As such the sustainable transportation sector includes a range of economic activity related to sustainable goods movement and green fleets, telework and telecommunications to reduce and replace travel, transit, cycling, walking, and car sharing, as well as land use and green development.
The conference's financial sponsors included Bombardier, Consumers Gas, the British Department of Trade and Industry, the Commonwealth Foundation, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), the International Forum for Rural Transport Development, Environment Canada, Health Canada, the National Round Table on the Environment and Economy, the North American Fund for Environmental Co-operation, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and Transport Canada, as well as a wide range of in-kind sponsors and supporters.
A number of City Departments have been involved in this initiative, in particular Urban Planning and Development Services, and Economic Development, Culture, and Tourism. In addition to staff and in-kind resources, the City Economic Partnership Program of the Economic Development Department contributed an initial $10,000 in 1997 and an additional $20,000 in 1998 to the Moving the Economy conference.
Since the conference (Phase 1), the Moving the Economy team has achieved the following:
- Secured funding for Phase 2 (near completion) through Human Resources Development Canada and a range of other funders.
- Produced MTE In-Print -- comprehensive proceedings of the Moving the Economy (MTE) Conference which have evolved into MTE On-Line, a searchable, expandable on-line database of economic success stories and best practices related to sustainable transportation, making Toronto the international hub of information linking sustainable transportation and economic opportunity.
- Consulted on development of MTE spinoff events in Canada, the US, the UK, and Central America.
- Developed a Sector Development Strategy for Sustainable Transportation for Toronto's particular context, through extensive consultations with business, government (all levels), labour, and community groups. Drawing from these consultations and the 200 international examples at the conference, two key directions and 7 key activities for Phase 3 implementation of the Sector Development Strategy are proposed, with the aim of attracting investment to and creating jobs in Toronto's sustainable transportation sector (see attached).
- Secured core funding for Phase 3 (Implementation), to begin in June of 1999.
Goals and Objectives for Sustainable Transportation Sector Development Strategy Identified in Phase Two
- To position Toronto as an internationally known hub of sustainable transportation sector development and job creation.
- To move from strategy to action on seven core activities related to sector development as identified and refined in Phase 2, including the establishment of a Sector Development Agency which would serve as a multi-partner home for future MTE economic development and job creation activities related to sustainable transportation.
- To build upon and attract private and public investment specific to the seven core activities identified for Phase 3 within a three year self-sufficiency schedule. Annual investments attracted to Calstart's member businesses in California grew from zero to over $1 billion between 1995 and 1999. (See Calstart summary, attached).
- To create jobs and economic spinoffs related to the seven core activities identified for Phase 3. Job creation related to Calstart's member businesses grew from zero in 1995 to over 11,000 in 1999. (See Calstart summary, attached). It should be noted that Calstart's development activities began in 1992, allowing a three year period before significant job creation results could be measured. Moving the Economy's developmental activity is well underway and could see substantial job creation results within the next two to three years. It should be noted that in addition to seven specific core initiatives, additional jobs would be created by members / partners in the Sector Development Agency as a result of strategic alliances and other services provided by the Agency.
- To engage and benefit the community in developing Toronto's sustainable transportation sector, through increased business spinoffs, job creation, air quality and quality of life improvements.
- To build upon existing partnerships and to engage additional partners, in particular in the business / corporate sector as full Sector Development Agency partners.
- To support the City’s strategic and official plan objectives regarding economic competitiveness , smog reduction, affordable transit, and the efficient use of public funds in ensuring citizens and businesses have access to the people and goods they need.
Phase Three Sector Development Initiatives (begins June, 1999)
1. Sector Development Agency (Key Direction): Building from Calstart's successful transportation business development consortium in California, Toronto's Sector Development Agency would provide a home for the range of sustainable transportation sector development activities, including Incubation and Pilot Development, Partnership Building and Strategic Alliances, Financial Support, and Marketing. (see attached).
2. Personal Mobility Systems (Key Direction): Building from the Swiss Mobility System showcased at the conference, one electronic smart card links a range of sustainable transportation choices including transit, inter-city rail, car sharing (linking with existing initiatives such as Auto Share and FAAN), car and bicycle rentals, etc. This ultimately seamless system has the effect of increasing consumer choice, enhancing sustainable transportation integration, and stimulating a range of businesses, industry, and associated employment (see attached).
3. Information and Analysis: MTE ON-Line: Building on the conference proceedings and presented in a similar accessible format, MTE On-Line is an expandable, accesible, searchable electronic database of sustainable transportation success stories from around the world. It establishes Toronto as the international source of research and information on the economic benefits of sustainable transportation.
4. Partnership Building and Strategic Expertise: Phase 2 consultations identified two major gaps in economic development related to sustainable transportation: sustainable goods movement and "not moving" people and goods. The conference highlighted significant opportunities in targeting goods movement in urban areas as an economic development focus. The conference also brought together two themes related to "not moving" people and goods: telecommunications to replace travel and enhance efficiencies, and land use and green development to reduce the need to travel. MTE has already been approached by a group representing Canada's rail industry for partnership in promoting rail as a viable economic and environmental solution in the urban context. The MTE team has also conducted a strategic meeting on "not moving" people and goods in the urban context.
5. Financial Support: The Sector Development Agency would lever resources to provide business start-up funds for sustainable transportation enterprises. Attracting money to help develop and pilot specific products has been key to Calstart’s success. The Agency would also work to support implementation of innovative financing mechanisms, in particular those highlighted in studies undertaken by the Federal Transportation Tables charged with meeting Canada's Kyoto targets.
6. Research and Development: Phase 2 identified a need for a comprehensive approach to information around job creation and sustainable transportation, both locally and worldwide. Phase 3 will build on initial Phase 2 research to further explore employment opportunities in the sustainable transportation sector. The Sector Development Agency will identify additional research needs based on pilot and partnership development.
7. Marketing Services: Detour Publications (of Transportation Options) has expanded from its internationally distributed Catalogue of Sustainable Transportation and Urban Ecology Books and Resources to provide on-line ordering of an even wider range of sustainable transportation information and products. Detour will be directly linked to MTE On-Line to provide direct access to information and products related to MTE. Based on its information base, Detour identifies gaps and publishes, produces, and sells products to fill those gaps. Detour also brings together local and international expertise in marketing and advertising to address the current vacuum in applied sustainable transportation marketing.
Phase Two Consultations on Sector Development
Phase Two consultations have occurred through meetings or within topic-specific focus groups. Consultations that have been conducted or arranged include but are not limited to the following:
Brian Ashton City Councillor and Chair, Economic Development Committee
Paul Bain City of Toronto Official Plan
Suzanne Barrett Bidco / Olympic Committee
Paul Bedford Executive Director and Chief Planner, City of Toronto
David Bell Chair, York Centre for Applied Sustainability
Pamela Blais Metropole Consultants
Bob Brent Chief Marketing Officer, TTC
Roger Cameron General Manager Public and Government Affairs, Railway Ass’n of Canada
Kevin Currie Owner, Wheel Excitement
Frances Chung GO Transit
Rick Ducharme Managing Director GO Transit
Daniel Egan Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Policy, City WES
Jeff Evenson Bidco / Olympic Committee
Peter Finestone Director of International Marketing, City of Toronto EDCT
Peter Gabor Gabor and Popper Architects
Richard Gilbert Managing Director Centre for Sustainable Transport / OECD Consultant
Janet Hall Toronto Economic Development Corporation
Catherine Higgins Transport Canada
John Hutchison Transportation Consultant
John Howe Ontario Jobs and Investment Board
Neil Irwin Managing Director, IBI Group
Phil Jessup Executive Director, Toronto Atmospheric Fund
Jack Layton City Councillor, and FCM Vice Chair
Barbara Leonhardt Director of Policy and Research , UPDS
Ed Levy Chair, BA Group and Chair Transportation Committee, Board of Trade
John Livey Commissioner of Planning, York Region
Mark Maloney Office of the Mayor of Toronto
Rocco Maragna FAAN
Randy Marsh Manager of Government and Public Affairs Canadian Pacific
Rod McPhail Director of Transportation Planning, City UPDS
Robert Millward Past Commissioner, Toronto Planning Department
Frank McLean Senior Consultant, Urban Economic Development, MEDTT
Randy McLean City of Toronto Economic Development, Culture and Tourism
Lynn Morrow Greater Toronto Services Board
Ken Ogilvie Executive Director, Pollution Probe, Chair Federal Table to meet Kyoto targets
Liz Reynolds Owner and Director, Auto Share
Dave Roberts Canadian Urban Transit Association
Ron Roffey Transit Manager, Ajax Transit and initiator of Combo Card
Loretta Ryan Policy Advisor, Toronto Board of Trade
Teresa Sarkesian Vice President, Samci
Greg Stewart Program Co-ordinator, Transportation Planning, UPDS
Andrew Stein Office of the Mayor of Toronto
Allan Tonks Chairman, Greater Toronto Services Board
Bill Van Amburg CALSTART, VP Marketing
Peter Valade General Manager, RaiLink Ltd
Conrad Wagner Director, Swiss Mobility Systems
Kerry Voumvakis Manager, Official Plan and Zoning, UPDS
Jane Weninger Co-ordinator, Toronto Environmental Task Force
Marlene Ziobrowski Street City Bikes
Additional: 90 attendees of the Moving the Economy Reunion; The General Motors Global Investigation Team; Twenty French Ministers and Mayors; and MTE international advisors including
Dr. Peter Newman (Australia); Robin Murray (U.K.); Whitney Birch (U.S.); Ricardo Neves (Brasil);
Maria Figueroa (U.N. Denmark)
Contact Name:
Sue Zielinski
SustainableTransportation Planner
Telephone: (416)392-1556
Fax: (416)392-0071
e-mail: szielinski@toronto.ca
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The Urban Environment and Development Committee also had before it the following material, which was forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the Urban Environment and Development Committee for its meeting of May 17, 1999, and copies thereof are on file in the office of the City Clerk:
- Fact Sheets on Calstart, Personal Mobility Systems, and other relevant information.
- Overhead Summaries of Sector Development Strategy Presentation
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