Examining the Equitability of Public Transit Policies in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver

Abstract

This major research paper (MRP) will provide a comparative analysis of the equity policies within the transportation networks of three major Canadian cities: Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver. During the course of researching this MRP, it became evident that Vancouver’s TransLink transit system would be a useful model to utilize as the basis of this comparative study, due to its extensive equity policies, and funding of its transit network, in relation to the transportation systems of Toronto and Montréal. In addition, TransLink has implemented these equitable measures without being mandated to do so by the Government of British Columbia. Vancouver’s transit policies employ a number of comprehensive equity measures, which were examined using two theoretical lenses of horizontal and vertical equity, and these were then compared to Montréal’s Société de Transport and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). These lenses aid in providing a deeper understanding of the policies employed by these transportation networks; as well as affording a basis for the comparative analysis.