Sustainable Transport in Canada: Q & A for People and Planet

Key takeaways

• Transportation is not just about mobility but serves as a gateway to opportunity, affecting poverty reduction, climate resilience, and economic growth
• Approximately 1 in 10 Canadians face transport poverty, aligning with the national poverty rate of 7.4%
• Transportation is Canada’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (23% of national total in 2023), with road transport accounting for 84% of these emissions
• Racialized groups and recent immigrants are significantly more likely to use public transit to get to work
• Sustainable transport delivers a “triple dividend”: economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection
• Global innovations in sustainable transport include Bogota’s TransMilenio system (reducing poverty), Rwanda’s e-mobility startups (reducing pollution and unemployment), and the Netherlands’ cycling infrastructure (27% of all trips by bicycle)
• Cross-sector partnerships and collaboration are essential for accelerating the transition to low-carbon transport systems
• Technical skills and community engagement are both necessary for professionals in the sustainable transport sector

Q & A summary

Climate Impact of Transportation

Obie: Given your research on ocean warming and atmospheric changes, what are the hidden or indirect ways our current transport systems impact marine and atmospheric health, and how should these influence sustainable transport planning?

Simon: Most climate impacts from transportation come from burning fuel (gasoline, oil, diesel), which produces both warming pollutants like CO2 and air pollutants that affect human and environmental health. The same pollutants causing human health risks also contribute to environmental damage in the atmosphere, plants, and oceans. While shifting to electric vehicles is important, we should also focus on reducing vehicle ownership through increased public transit and shared vehicle usage. This would be more efficient, cheaper, and have a smaller environmental footprint, including reducing the mining necessary for batteries.

Mobility Systems and Poverty Reduction

Obie: How can improved mobility systems directly reduce poverty and enhance prosperity in urban and suburban communities like Vaughan and North Toronto?

Dorinda: Many people, even within large urban communities, live in “transit deserts” with limited access to transportation. This creates difficult trade-offs, such as students having to choose between paying for transit to attend class or buying food. In rural areas, people may have to decide between affording gas for healthcare appointments or skipping them altogether. Improved mobility systems—whether through public transit, carpooling, or cycling infrastructure—help people access jobs, education, and healthcare, which has long-term impacts on quality of life and prosperity.

Balancing Carbon Reduction with Social Equity

Obie: From a technical perspective, what engineering or project design approaches are most effective in achieving both carbon reduction and social equity goals simultaneously?

Gabriel: Carbon reduction and equity are not necessarily competing objectives. Key approaches include prioritizing transit where people already live and where bus routes already exist, which helps reduce emissions while serving lower-income households who rely more on transit. Designing for access rather than speed is important, including features like seating areas in stations and safe pedestrian and cycling connections. Two-way or all-day transportation in low-income neighborhoods makes it easier for residents to use low-emission transportation options. Every design decision that shifts trips to high-capacity, low-carbon modes while improving access for marginalized communities serves both climate and equity goals.

Effective Climate Communication

Obie: As a science communicator and educator, what strategies do you believe are most effective for translating complex climate data into public motivation to shift transport behavior?

Simon: The mistake many climate scientists make is talking too much about climate change as the sole motivation for changing transportation behavior. Instead, focus on “co-benefits” of sustainable transportation: it’s healthier (reducing air pollution and increasing physical activity) and often cheaper in the long run. It’s also important to communicate that barriers to sustainable transportation aren’t as high as they seem—electric vehicles are easier to charge than people think, and cycling infrastructure has improved significantly, making it safer and often faster than driving in many cities.

Last-Mile Shuttle Services

Obie: What lessons have you learned about scalability, inclusivity, and environmental impact from pointA’s last-mile shuttle services?

Dorinda: PointA offers multi-site shuttles connecting subway stations to business parks in Toronto. By grouping together multiple office buildings and even residential towers, they provide semi-private shuttle service that would otherwise be too expensive for individual buildings to operate. Last-mile solutions significantly reduce commute times by eliminating the long walking portions that often make public transit seem impractical. The shuttles are inclusive, serving people of all income levels who work in the buildings, as well as visitors, creating shared spaces where diverse groups interact.

Technical Skills for Sustainable Transport Professionals

Obie: What technical skills are most essential for young Black professionals entering the sustainable transport sector today?

Gabriel: Important skills include understanding how systems work and having proper climate literacy to understand transportation’s role in the broader climate picture. Professionals should know how to analyze basic climate risks (floods, heat) and their effects on rail corridors and operations. Data and digital skills are crucial for mapping ridership, calculating emissions, and extracting equity impacts. Knowledge of low-carbon materials and construction awareness helps professionals understand why decarbonizing cement, steel, and construction processes matters. At Thrive for Blacks, they teach not only technical skills but also governance, community engagement, and non-profit administration, because “technical solutions without community trust will not last.”

Community Engagement in Sustainable Transport

Obie: What are the most impactful ways to engage local communities in adopting sustainable transport practices, beyond raising awareness?

Simon: Most Canadians (about 80%) are concerned about climate change and sustainability, but when ranking it against other pressures in life, it often doesn’t rank very high. People are keen to take sustainable transport actions, but the incentive structure isn’t right—there are too many obstacles. Government support for initiatives like electric vehicle rebates has been inconsistent. The key is not just raising awareness for individual decision-making but encouraging people to communicate with their city councilors and government officials to set better incentives and make sustainable choices easier. Public transit projects often don’t receive the funding they deserve because officials don’t hear enough from citizens about their importance.

Cross-Sector Partnerships

Obie: What role do cross-sector partnerships play in accelerating the transition to low-carbon transport systems in Ontario?

Dorinda: Building transit systems and transportation infrastructure is expensive, requiring collaboration and partnership. PointA works with various organizations, from workplaces to communities to event organizers, always in collaboration. In Ontario, the Smart Commute program is delivered across at least 10 different jurisdictions and governments, demonstrating that governments can work well together. The program has grown during the pandemic, with regions like London, Sudbury, and Bruce County joining. Bringing together people, businesses, and governments may be challenging to start, but once established, it makes a significant impact.

Inclusive Workforce in Transportation

Obie: How can major transportation programs cultivate a more inclusive workforce that supports long-term prosperity and resilience in the sector?

Gabriel: Leadership pipelines don’t build themselves—they require intentional design of pathways to help young people transition into stewardship roles. Transportation owners and construction companies can partner with organizations like Thrive for Blacks for multi-year scholarships, outreach to middle and high schools, paid summer placements, and rotational entry-level positions. Community benefit agreements tied to real jobs and advancements can go beyond local hiring to include apprenticeships targeted at racialized youth. Mentorship programs pairing young people with experienced professionals and support for credential recognition for immigrants are also important strategies.

Bus Shelter Accessibility and Homelessness

Aishat: How do you address the issue of homelessness in relation to bus shelters, which can affect the accessibility of transit infrastructure?

Simon: This is a challenging issue, particularly in places like Vancouver with serious opioid crises. The presence of unhoused people in transit infrastructure has discouraged some people from using public transit. It’s a multifaceted and challenging crisis without simple solutions.

Gabriel: There’s no clear-cut solution. When designing stations, you need to consider the neighborhoods where they’ll be located and optimize plans to make services accessible to those who need them while discouraging misuse. Each situation requires specific assessment to develop appropriate solutions.

Engaging Major Powers in Climate Action

Clarke Joseph (via chat): What would be the most effective way to get powerful nations onside to reduce pollution?

Simon: The geopolitics of climate have changed dramatically in the past decade. At COP30, China sent an 800-person delegation and showcased massive expansion of renewable energy, while the United States didn’t send an official delegation. Chinese developments in electric vehicles, solar, wind, and batteries are being exported to countries in the Global South, leading to surprising shifts in energy usage (e.g., 70% of new vehicles in Nepal are electric). The question for Canada is whether it will join this clean energy revolution to remain competitive globally.

Dorinda: Government leadership is crucial as transportation is a highly regulated industry. Government policy, regulations, and funding dictate what happens in the sector. While federal action is important, it’s encouraging to see local municipalities and provinces stepping up. More companies should track emissions related to commuting, which are currently voluntary to report but can represent a significant percentage of a company’s emissions.

Gabriel: We can also make a difference at the individual level by considering environmental impacts in everyday decisions. For example, when constructing a driveway, consider hiring local contractors to reduce transportation emissions and choose those using sustainable materials. These small-scale decisions build habits that can influence larger organizational and governmental decisions.