New Mobility Summit - Toronto's Participation

New Mobility Summit - City of Toronto's Participation

Backgrounder

The City of Toronto is hosting day one of the Sierra Club of Canada's four-day New Mobility Summit, at Toronto City Hall starting September 21- 2004.
The summit will continue at various other Toronto locations during September 22-24, 2004.
Eric Britton, creator of the International Car Free Day, will speak at the event and lead discussions based on his experiences working with sustainable transportation initiatives in a number of cities around the world.
The City's objective in participating in the New Mobility Summit is to help move the City toward its Transportation Sustainability goals, as put forward in the City of Toronto's Council endorsed, Environmental Plan.
The City is present to gather information in developing a report regarding a potential car-free day in the City in 2005.
Key Environmental Plan recommendations related to the New Mobility Summit are:
- The City should lead in transportation options that are convenient, efficient and reduce environmental, social and health impacts; and
- That the City be involved in discussions that will further the sustainable transportation strategy.
City staff are responding to Toronto City Council's request that
- Toronto Public Health, as the lead, working with
- Works & Emergency Services,
- the TTC, the Toronto Cycling Committee,
- the Toronto Pedestrian Committee,
- Special Events , and the
- Roundtable on the Environment,
- in concert with relevant stakeholders, such as the Sierra Club of Canada, to form a working group; and
Report to Council in November, on the potential impacts of Car Free Day 2005 on air pollution, TTC ridership and public awareness of sustainable transportation.

Media Contact: John Warren, Director,
Environmental Services, Works and Emergency Services
Tel: 416-397-4625.