Q5: How do you think Caledon can be part of a GTA transit strategy?

Regional Council Candidates:

Donna Cragg

"Caledon must be part of the GTA transit strategy to:

1. Assist in moving flow through traffic from other municipalities

2. make available transit for the sectors most in need: youth, seniors, commuters.

"Transit for through commutes will benefit the environment rather than the more common 1 commuter per car scenario.  Smart Commute and Park and Ride lots have a role but are not the sole answer.  Orangeville for instance has one of the highest commuting rates of any town in Ontario.  Addressing the commuters traveling through Caledon will go a long way to avoiding gridlock on our roads."  

"Through the GTA transit strategy we can be linked to major transit interchanges such as Yorkdale, Go Train stations, perhaps bus transfer terminals in neighbouring municipalities could be explored.  School campuses, York U, Humber College etc. Pearson Airport."  

"Go transit service could be strengthened and the possibility of rush hour train service reopened for consideration.   Because of our relatively low population and wide geographic area it makes participating in the GTA Transit strategy perhaps the only way we will be able to develop a workable transit solution to meet our needs in a fiscally responsibly manner."

Dave Tatla

No reply.

Allan Thompson

"A transit strategy throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will likely involve varying options and components and I think that Caledon can have a role.  The question then becomes what will that role be?"

"Public transit is a very expensive program and even with the large population-base within their jurisdictions, our sister municipalities to the south of us are unable to turn transit into a profitable venture.  Given their significantly larger population base, it is impractical to believe that Caledon would be able to support a similar venture at this time."

"There are, however, things that we can do within our community to increase transit opportunities."

"A new transit link is being made to the Pearson International Airport, Toronto, and we should investigate the opportunity to get GO rail service into the Bolton area.  One thing that I did push for was to have GO service stop near the Valleywood entrance." 

"When I was first elected as Area Councillor one concern that emerged quite quickly was that the senior residents along the south and west borders of our town were unable to use our Caledon based services to get them to their doctors or other appointments, because the services they were going to were outside our town.   I also championed successfully to get this service expanded for these residents.  This is a good service that I think as a municipality that we can build on to provide further enhancements and improvements for our residents."

Area Council Candidates:

Gord McClure

No reply

Stephen Townsend

"First, Caledon must develop a transit strategy.  This must consider what transit will mean to Caledon, including - if, when, where, how and with whom.  Secondly, once Caledon has its Transit Strategy, it will be necessary to see how this fits with the developing GTA Transit Strategy – whether for immediate consideration or not.  I truly believe there must be some level of transit provided within Caledon sometime in the future, especially as the commercial side of Caledon develops."