Ontario’s 2012
Transit-Supportive Guidelines
Ontario East Municipal Conference
September 12, 2012
Ministry of Transportation 1

Introduction
 First published jointly by the Ontario
Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and
Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) in
1992.
 1992 Guidelines focused on transit-friendly
land use planning and urban design
practices.
 2012 Guidelines update land use content
and introduce a new chapter on transit
improvement strategies.
 Provide strategies, tools and resources to
assist municipal planners, transit agencies
and others in creating an environment that
is supportive of transit and developing
services and programs to increase transit
ridership.
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Context
 The Guidelines are intended to assist
municipalities in implementing the policies
and objectives of the Provincial Policy
Statement (PPS).
 Other recent provincial initiatives that
support the development of compact,
complete, transit-friendly communities
make an update timely:
 Greenbelt Plan
 Growth Plans for the Greater Golden
Horseshoe and Northern Ontario
 The Big Move, Metrolinx Regional
Transportation Plan
 Provincial priority to increase transit
ridership across Ontario
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Context
 Many municipalities are growing
 Ontario’s population will grow from 13 million to 17 million by 2031
 Congestion is a major concern with significant economic impact
 Changing demographics will mean more seniors dependent on transit
 Major transit investments have been made
 Since 2003, the Ontario government has invested more than $13.4
billion in public transit
 Transit ridership is growing
 Investments are paying off – in 2010, there was an increase of nearly
132 million passenger trips on municipal transit systems compared to
2003.
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Benefits of transit-supportive planning
 There is increasing recognition that building transit-supportive
communities can help achieve sustainable development and an improved
urban environment by:
 Supporting healthy, active, age-friendly communities
 Addressing environmental challenges
 Reducing congestion, travel times and transportation affordability
 Promoting economic competitiveness
 Making more efficient use of infrastructure
 Transit-supportive land use patterns are also pedestrian- and cyclist-
friendly, making it safer and easier to use active transportation along with
transit.
 Walkable neighbourhoods can have a particular impact on community
health:
 For every 5% improvement in the walkability of a neighbourhood,
adults tend to walk and cycle 32% more
 Risk of obesity can decline by 4.8% for each km walked per day and
can increase by 6% for each hour spent in a car per day
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Role of the Guidelines
 Collection of best practices, strategies, case studies, references for
municipal and transportation planners to transit operators and managers
 Guidance for all communities, not just big cities.
 Topics specifically targeted to small and mid-sized communities
 In-depth case studies illustrating innovative transit-supportive
initiatives undertaken by smaller centres and rural areas.
 Strategies intended primarily for larger communities and those
intended for smaller towns are identified for easy reference.
 For use by municipalities and other planning authorities, with the
expectation that municipalities will adapt these guidelines and examples to
the specific circumstances of their community.
 The Guidelines provide guidance not only for formal planning processes
such as official plan reviews, but also for transit improvement and other
related initiatives, such as transportation demand management programs.
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Transit-Supportive Policies
 The Guidelines are intended to assist municipalities in implementing
Provincial Policy Statement policies and objectives, including policies
related to:
 Integrating transportation and land use considerations at all stages
of the planning process.
 Promoting opportunities for intensification and compact urban form.
 Identifying growth areas, nodes and corridors and related density
targets.
 Promoting a land use pattern, density and mix of employment and
housing uses that minimizes vehicle trips and supports transit and
other alternative modes of transportation as viable mode choices.
 Promoting the use of public transit and other alternative modes in
and between residential, employment and other areas.
 Focusing travel-intensive land uses on sites well served by existing
or planned public transit, or designing these to facilitate future
service.
 Protecting of corridors and rights-of-way for transit and related
facilities.
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New Format
 1992 version was black
and white with simple
drawings
 New design and layout
provides for both quick
reference and more in-
depth reading
 Each guideline includes
topic objective and
summary followed by
detailed strategies
 Symbols indicate the
applicable community
size and planning scale
for each strategy
 List of linked resources
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New Format
 Small communities - less than 50,000
 Mid-Size – 50,000 to 150,000
 Large – 150,000 to 500,000
 Big City – greater than 500,000
 Site – site and building scale
 District – subdivisions, district secondary plans
 Municipal – town or city-wide
 Regional – multiple municipalities
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New Content
• A comprehensive resource and reference tool
• Over 200 pages of text and illustrations
• 54 sets of guidelines
• Over 500 separate strategies
• 13 in-depth case studies as well as numerous
shorter examples
• Links to further resources on the internet
• Expanded content includes:
• Transit improvement strategies
• Transit service and operations
• Planning and performance monitoring
• Enhancing user experience through trip planning
and accommodation
• Growing ridership through targeted strategies
• Increased emphasis on walking and cycling
• Expanding reach of transit via cycling
• Enhancing walk/bike connections to transit
• Supporting pedestrians and cyclists
• Other key issues
• Accessibility, sustainable design, complete
streets, transportation demand management
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Document Structure
1. Community-Wide Guidelines
• Community structure
• Regional mobility planning
2. District-Level and Site-Specific Guidelines
• Layout of streets and open spaces
• Creating complete streets
• Enhancing access to transit
• Parking management
• Specialized uses
3. Transit Improvement Guidelines
• Service and operations
• Planning and performance monitoring
• Enhancing the experience
• Targeting ridership
4. Implementation
• The planning process
• Innovative planning approaches
• Inspiring change
• Funding and investment
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