How can public transit facilitate prosperity? This week, the City of Toronto and Metrolinx are hosting a public event, “Abundant Access: Public Transit as an Instrument of Freedom”, to explore the issues and, hopefully, answer that question.

The event features a keynote address by transit planner, author and blogger, Jarrett Walker. A discussion with the City’s Chief Planner, Jennifer Keesmaat, follows Walker’s address.

Walker is an international consultant on public transit network design and policy, and author of the book, Human Transit. Since 1991, he has lead major transit planning projects in numerous cities across North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The event takes place Thursday, January 23 at 7 p.m.

St. Paul’s Church, Great Hall
227 Bloor Street East,
on the south side of Bloor East,
just east of Bloor and Church Streets
and three blocks east of Bloor - Yonge Station.

The City’s City Planning Division staff are marketing the event as part of their “Feeling Congested” public-consultation program to engage Torontonians about transportation planning, priorities and funding. This consultation supports and informs the ongoing five-year review of the City’s Official Plan transportation policies, helps staff develop a new long-term transportation plan and a funding and investment strategy.

You can learn more about what they’ve heard from you — so far — here.