Toronto Region Board of Trade announces new task force
TORONTO – February 14, 2024 - Today, the Toronto Region Board of Trade announced the creation of a Congestion Task Force that will identify and champion practical, high-impact solutions for Toronto’s congestion crisis. The Task Force brings together senior leaders from influential businesses with a significant presence in the Toronto Region, each aligned to get our city moving again.
This announcement follows a recent inaugural Task Force meeting where members began a dialogue with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and City Manager Paul Johnson. Despite generational transit investments and short-term fixes, including new traffic agents on the ground and better use of real-time data, the city’s gridlock has reached a tipping point. Both expressed their commitment to addressing this critical issue and agreed that collaboration with the business community is both necessary and welcome.
“Toronto’s congestion crisis is lengthening traveling times for people, goods and services to painful levels, eroding our city’s livability and seriously undermining business competitiveness. It’s affecting our global reputation and costing over $11 billion annually in lost productivity,” said Giles Gherson, President and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade. “Our task force of business leaders has a strong history of problem-solving and implementing bold solutions. They are here to take action, and by the end of the year we will provide solutions to the city that will have real impact on how people and businesses move across our region.”
“No one wants to be stuck in traffic. Tackling our congestion challenges will be critical for continued economic growth and recovery, and to make our city more livable for people. I want to thank the Toronto Region Board of Trade for its leadership in convening this important Task Force and I look forward to continued collaboration. Together, we can keep Toronto moving.”
– Her Worship Mayor Olivia Chow, City of Toronto
“We can do better. We want to do better. We are at the table to listen, to be challenged and to work together on solutions.”
– Paul Johnson, City Manager, City of Toronto
The Task Force will utilize the collective intelligence and drive of its talented members to deliver practical recommendations for the City of Toronto. These recommendations will examine opportunities for long-term, structural fixes as well as bold interventions that can make a positive impact in the short term.
Task Force Members include:
- Susan Allen, President and CEO, BOMA Toronto
- Angela Bhutani, VP, Investment Counsellor, Burgundy Asset Management
- Josh Colle, Senior Vice President, EY
- Teresa Di Felice, AVP, Government and Community Relations, CAA Club Group
- Jeff Gilbert, Senior Manager - Operations, FedEx Canada
- Gary Glasser, Managing Director, Head of Data Science and Strategy, Birch Hill Equity Partners
- Shadi Hagag, Founder and CEO, Trans-Plan
- Kevin Hardy, VP & Head of GTA Office Portfolio, Oxford Properties
- Grant Humes, Executive Director, Toronto Financial District BIA
- Doug Jeoffroy, SVP, Global Corporate Real Estate, RBC
- John Kiru, Executive Director, TABIA
- Kurtis McBride, Co-Founder and CEO, Miovision
- Laura Miller, Director, Public Policy and Communications, Uber
- Paul Morassutti, Chairman, CBRE Limited
- Brad Nicpon, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault
- Rob Strickland, President, Fidelity Investments Canada
- Javier Tamargo, President & CEO, 407 ETR
- Chris Tyrell, VP, Planning, Transportation & Infrastructure, WSP Canada
- Nicole Wang, Partner, Infrastructure Advisory, Deloitte
Key Facts
- Toronto has the longest average travel time per 10 km in North America at 29 mins. [1]
- Toronto commuters spend 98 hours navigating rush hour traffic per year. [1]
- Congestion costs Toronto $11 billion in lost productivity and opportunity cost per year. [2]
[2] Based on an EBI analysis of Metrolinx and CD Howe Institute estimates
Congestion Task Force
Getting our region moving again.
The Toronto Region Board of Trade is one of the largest and most influential business chambers in North America and is a catalyst for the region’s economic agenda. We pursue policy change to drive the growth and competitiveness of the Toronto region and facilitate market opportunities with programs, partnerships and connections to help our members succeed – domestically and internationally.
Media Contact
Jason Chapman, Manager, Communications & Media Relations