BACK ON TRACK -- EIGHT STEPS TO REJUVENATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN CANADA

During the 1970s and 1980s, Canadian transit was widely viewed as a model to be aspired to by transit systems in the U.S. and praised by city planners and transport specialists throughout the world. Since 1990, however, Canadian transit has been experiencing some of the same problems that have plagued American systems for many decades. Low-density suburban sprawl is on the increase around virtually every Canadian city, resulting in ever more residential developments and employment centers that can only be reached by car. By examining changes in public policies over time and by identifying differences among cities, this article identifies key policy shifts that will turn transit around in the new century.