Going car-free in the GTA

September 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

By Simon Minelli, Toronto Intern

Nearly three months ago I started my internship at the David Suzuki Foundation. While working here, I was inspired by the initiatives that the Foundation is taking in Toronto and around the country. I also discovered that 85% of Canadian drivers have never tried taking transit to work. This inspired me to take my own action; I decided to go car-free for the month of August.

For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in transportation. Growing up, my favourite show was Shining Time Station. I had Thomas the Tank Engine toys all over the house. Ever since I have been intrigued with how we move around our communities and the globe. This year I will be finishing a Civil Engineering and Society degree at McMaster University and am required to do a full year inquiry. I have chosen to look at transportation in the GTA. So hitting the road (by foot, bike or transit) seemed like a great way to start.

A month without cars meant no driving, no being driven, and no getting others to do things for me with their cars. I knew it was going to be a challenge because I happen to live in Mississauga, one of the Greater Toronto Area's most car-centric communities.

Going car-free may not seem like a big deal, as lots of people use other forms of transportation to get most places, like public transit, biking or walking. However, living in the suburbs meant transit was the only realistic option for getting downtown Toronto to the office each weekday and for other excursions around the GTA. And prior to my car-free month, my experience with transit was very occasional trips on the GO Train to get to hockey games or other events.

My car-free August gave me a chance to learn about our public transportation system and gain insights into how I can reduce my carbon footprint. It also allowed me to learn about what areas are easily accessible without a car, and others that have been made impractical to get to without the aide of a motor and four wheels — like my girlfriend's place, which is a 15 minute drive but a two-hour trip on transit (I hope she appreciates my dedication!).

Walking and biking were a bit more of a challenge. I love to bike but I was disheartened to find that my community is not very bike-friendly. Having to get to the other side of highways were found to be the most troubling and one of the biggest roadblocks was that trains and subways still don't allow bikes on board during rush hour. This makes it extremely hard to plan ahead.

Looking back on my car-free month, I found that although there are major problems with transportation in the GTA that need to be addressed, there are still many positive reasons to take public transit rather than drive.

It's cheaper, although sometimes it may seem like it's not (don't forget to factor in all the costs that come with driving. It's not just gas).
It's less frustrating. This is often debated as busy buses and late streetcars can drive people mad. Let's not forget, though, how frustrating driving can be. Let someone tell you about being stuck in traffic or having your car break down on the side of the 401.
It can save time. This seems counter-intuitive. Yes, in the GTA if you're not traveling with rush-hour traffic, it will usually take you longer to get to your destination by transit. However, it's time that you don't have to use for driving. If you can use that time for something positive, you're not throwing it away.

I encourage you to take a look at my blog that I've been keeping to share how my month has gone. Now that my car-free month is done, I hope to use it to talk about different transit and transportation issues happening in the GTA.

In the end, it comes down to coping with a car-centric culture that we have created for ourselves. In the suburbs, it seems intuitive to us to jump in the car for trips long and short. But I highly recommend you try ditching the car for a day, a week or even a month. Jump on a bus, train or bike and explore different routes on your commute and through your community. You might just find a new, more enjoyable way of getting where you are going.