TORONTO, April 5, 2013 –The public has been presented with a comprehensive list of taxes and user fees that could generate needed funds for transport infrastructure in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area.  As there are complex policy issues to address when considering new “revenue tools”, are citizens being given the information necessary to provide meaningful input?  Will key decision-makers be able to accurately evaluate each funding measure so that economic, environmental and social policy goals are met?

The Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, will be the keynote speaker at the Transport Futures Mobility Funding Symposium. Following the Minister’s morning speech, international and national experts will work with delegates to thoroughly review those revenue tools which have been proven to support sustainable transport policy and good governance.

Who:  Government, business, labour, academic and non-profit representatives, policy experts (see speaker list below) and citizens with an interest in sustainable transportation and infrastructure financing.

What: Transport Futures – Mobility Funding Symposium

When: Monday, April 8, 2013 – 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.  Minister to speak at 8:45.

Where: Metropolitan Hotel (Mandarin Ballroom), 108 Chestnut Street, Toronto

Why: To create a framework that connects a range of revenue tools with progressive economic, environmental and social policy.

Experts who will be joining Minister Murray at Transport Futures include:

• Martin Wachs, Senior Principal Researcher, RAND Corporation, Los Angeles, USA
• José Vassallo, Associate Professor, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
• Cameron Gordon, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
• Geoff Cross, Senior Manager, Policy, Pricing and Funding, TransLink, Vancouver, BC
• David Lewis, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, HDR Decision Economics, Ottawa, Ontario
• Rob Hatton, Director, Strategic Initiatives & Intergovernmental Finance, City of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
• Robin Lindsey, Professor, Operations Research & Logistics Division, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC