GTHA Medical Officers of Health told Ontario’s political leaders that the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area must invest in transportation to build healthy, complete communities.

The Toronto Board of Health will discuss the newly released report next week.

Improving Health by Design in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, is a joint report by the Medical Officers of Health of the GTHA, which includes Hamilton, Peel, Simcoe-Muskoka and Toronto.

The excerpt below, from the 100-page report, is one of many, dealing with the importance of public transportation to public health:

FUND THE BIG MOVE
The GTHA cannot sustainably absorb another 2.2 million people without considerable change in how we plan communities and transportation.
A plan already exists to significantly expand public transit infrastructure. For health, congestion and environmental reasons, The Big Move must be funded and implemented on a multi-year basis while fostering equity in transportation.
The policy implications are that:
• The Government of Ontario should move swiftly to implement a long-term funding mechanism for The Big Move.
(from page xii of the report)