Purpose
| Forecasted trends in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area* | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 2031 | |
| Population | 6 million | 8.6 million |
| Automobile trips | 2 million | 3 million |
| Congestion costs to residents | $3.3 billion†| $7.8 billion |
| Congestion costs to economy | $2.7 billion†| $7.2 billion |
The GTHA is Canada's largest and fastest growing urban region, with a population forecast to grow by 2.6 million people by 2031. The region is becoming increasingly dependent and designed for automobiles, and traffic congestion is already costing commuters and the economy billions of dollars every year. Nine individual local transit agencies and one regional transit agency exist, and are poorly integrated when one out of four trips crosses a regional boundary, making transit unattractive. Investment in transit has been relatively stagnant, causing roads, highways and transit vehicles to be crowded and pushed to the limit. In the face of climate change, increasing energy costs, peak oil, increasing urbanization, and an aging population, the RTP exists to alleviate these problems.
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