71 Per Cent of Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area Residents are "Fed Up" With Gridlock

43 Per Cent Believe New Funding is Necessary

TORONTO, April 12, 2013 /CNW/ - "We're not going to take it anymore" is the resounding sentiment from residents in a new poll commissioned by the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance, which reveals that 71 per cent of residents in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) are "fed up" with gridlock and traffic congestion in the GTHA. 26 per cent of respondents cited "improving quality of life" as the most important reason for improving transportation in the GTHA.

43 per cent of poll respondents believe new funds must be raised to build The Big Move that is designed to tackle gridlock and traffic congestion through transit, roads, bike lanes and sidewalks. This is a higher share of residents than the 39 per cent who believe that existing government funds are sufficient to deliver on this plan.

39 per cent of respondents think it is fair to ask GTHA residents to contribute to the cost.

"Our poll reinforces what we have been hearing from residents across the region since we launched our campaign - that we can't wait any longer and we must take action to address the congestion issues plaguing our region," said John Tory, Chair of CivicAction. "With a hundred thousand more people choosing to move to the region each year, commute times and public discontent will only get worse if we don't act."

The poll was conducted by Forum Research on behalf of CivicAction between March 28 and April 3, 2013 using a randomly selected sample of 1491 GTHA residents. The poll was conducted by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, 19 out of 20 times.

Nearly a quarter of respondents (23 per cent) are aware of CivicAction's Your 32 campaign, demonstrating increased interest in tackling gridlock. CivicAction and its 45-person Champions Council launched the Your32 campaign www.your32.com) last fall to build support for sustainable ways to invest in better transportation.

"Long commute times are affecting our health, costing us money, and taking away from time that we can spend with friends and family," said Mitzie Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of CivicAction. "It has become clear we need a number of ways to raise the funds necessary to move forward. With Metrolinx's Investment Strategy being tabled by June 1, we have a historic window of opportunity to solve our growing gridlock crisis."

CivicAction will kick off the next stage of its Your32 campaign on April 17^th as it hosts 300 business, government, and community leaders at the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move.

The Forum will start with an address by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. Speakers and moderators represent leading voices in business, government, academia and the not-for-profit sector. For the agenda and the list of speakers and moderators, visit www.civicaction.ca/forum.

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships with organizations, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

About CivicAction's Your32 campaign
CivicAction is asking people across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) what they would do with an extra 32 minutes in their day. That's the difference between the average commute time if Metrolinx's regional transportation plan The Big Move is funded and built over the next 25 years (77 min) and if no comprehensive system is put in place (109 min). (Source: Metrolinx.)

CivicAction is taking this conversation to the streets, subways, and buses to inspire action that will deliver the transportation network we so urgently need. We aim to build measurable public and decision-maker appreciation for the value that a better system will bring, and the need for sustainable ways to pay for it. For more information, visit www.your32.com

About the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move
At the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move on April 17, three hundred recognized business, labour, government, and community leaders will make their move to support better transportation for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Throughout the day, they will learn from other jurisdictions, examine the benefits of and changes to improved transportation, and identify tangible paths towards significant infrastructure investment to support our region's growth and prosperity for generations to come. For more information, visit www.civicaction.ca/forum

CivicAction Forum sponsors include the Government of Ontario, Manulife Financial, OLG, RBC, BMO Financial Group, Metrolinx, TD, Boston Consulting Group, Carpenters' Union, City of Toronto, Daniels Corporation, Toronto Port Authority, Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO), Rogers, Ontario Power Generation, Metcalf Foundation, MTS Allstream, and Toronto Hydro.

SOURCE: CivicAction