About MTSO
Founded in 2023, More Transit Southern Ontario is a grassroots organization of transit advocates from across the GTHA and Southcentral Ontario.
“MTSO was formed from the need to build a network of transit advocates from the region to work towards more frequent, reliable, and accessible transit networks.”
Jonathan Lee How Cheong
Co-Executive Director
Our advocacy goals are:
- Using cost-effective construction methods such as cut & cover / elevated
- Protecting existing and future right-of-ways for future transit projects
- Advocating for better transit signal priority
- Building transit first, rather than trying to fit it in later
- Choosing the right transit mode
Transit must be accessible for everyone. This means barrier-free access, meeting AODA standards, and improving the day-to-day experience to make it more accessible.
- Transit costs more to build in Canada and the English-speaking world than in other countries
- We are spending 10x more to build transit than we did 30 years ago, when adjusted for inflation
- Despite record capital funding, we are not getting good value for our money, and many projects are being cancelled due to high costs
- Affordable costs to ride transit
- Discounted transit for groups such as seniors, teens, children, low income persons
- Regional Fare integration that doesn’t discriminate based on travel mode
- Make sure transit is fast and reliable, from GO trains and subways to local bus routes
- Aggressive implementation of transit signal priority, dedicated lanes, and adequate funding for service
- Focus on the day-to-day experience of riding transit
- Make sure transit has a good, easy-to-understand wayfinding
- Ride and stop quality
- Heating/AC on vehicles, platform screen doors, no ad wraps on windows
Consistent, predictable, and adequate funding from local and higher levels of government for capital and operational expenses
- Encourage infill development near higher-order transit (GO/subways) instead of sprawl
- When doing urban expansion, center it on our regional rail network and/or protect for immediate extensions
- Encourage most major housing and employment growth be located on higher-order transit lines
- Ensure new major destinations planned, such as employment centres, hospitals, stadiums, post-secondary institutions, etc., are always built on the higher-order transit networkWhen doing urban expansion, center it on our regional rail network and/or protect for immediate extensions
Advocate for the GO expansion project to turn GO into a world-class regional rail network to be the backbone of our region
Our Mission
To advocate for more connected, affordable, frequent, and reliable transit networks for people across Southern Ontario.
Our Values
To give our best every day through impactful advocacy and campaigns that strengthen our communities.