The Transit City “who’s The Boss” Quiz
Did you know that the largest transit expansion plan in Toronto, Transit City, is actually controlled by a special body called Metrolinx?
The Metrolinx Board was created in 2006 by the Government of Ontario and charged with developing a regional transportation plan and an investment strategy to pay for it. The board was made up of 11 people including municipal politicians representing Toronto, Halton, Peel, York, Durham and Hamilton and private citizens appointed by Toronto and Queen’s Park. In just two years they unanimously adopted the Big Move (http://metrolinx. Com/thebigmove/index. Html) which integrated the local plans into a seamless regional Read morenetwork.
In Spring 2009, the Province introduced new legislation to change the composition of the Metrolinx Board and how the Board interacts with the public.
The Metrolinx Board has responsibility for implementing the biggest transit expansion Toronto has ever seen, the Transit City Plan which is part of The Big Move Plan. The Board will determine what gets built, when and by whom.
Test your skills to see what you know about the Board that will have a huge impact on the shape of public transit in Toronto.
- 1.
Who chooses the members of the Metrolinx Board?
- A.
City Councils of the municipalities that are directly affected by the Board’s decisions
- B.
A legislative committee of the Province of Ontario
- C.
The Minister of Transportation
- D.
Open nominations/votes from the public
Correct Answer
C. The Minister of TransportationExplanation
Answer: C. The Minister of Transportation appoints all members to the Metrolinx Board.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Who sits on the Metrolinx Board?
- A.
Only transportation experts
- B.
Municipal Councillors or Mayors who represent municipalities affected by Metrolinx decisions
- C.
Mostly private sector business people
- D.
People elected by the public through a referendum
Correct Answer
C. Mostly private sector business peopleExplanation
Answer: C. The majority of Board members are prominent private sector businesspeople with no direct experience in transportation issues.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Who can sit on the Metrolinx Board?
- A.
People who do not have the proper background/experience in transportation planning
- B.
Publicly elected officials
- C.
People whose business connections create a potential conflict of interest
- D.
People who don’t use public transportation
- E.
All of the above, except B.
Correct Answer
E. All of the above, except B.Explanation
Answer: A, C & D. Publicly elected officials are not allowed to sit on the Metrolinx Board. However, individuals without any obvious background in transit, who are not accountable to anyone, are allowed to make decisions about public transit and Transit City.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Given that there are no elected officials on the Metrolinx Board, what can the public do to ensure their voices are heard by the Metrolinx Board?
- A.
Attend every Metrolinx board meeting
- B.
Raise their concerns at Metrolinx Board meetings
- C.
None of the above
Correct Answer
C. None of the aboveExplanation
Answer: C. The Board can decide whether to hold meetings in public. Moreover, there is no opportunity for the public to speak at meetings, even if they are allowed to attend. That means decisions about public transit are made behind closed doors by people who are not accountable to the voters who will be affected by the decisions.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Who can the public hold responsible for bad decisions made by the Metrolinx board?
- A.
Metrolinx board members
- B.
The Minister of Transportation
- C.
Their local MPP who may or may not be part of the government that appointed the Minister of Transportation who appointed the Metrolinx board.
Correct Answer
C. Their local MPP who may or may not be part of the government that appointed the Minister of Transportation who appointed the Metrolinx board.Explanation
Answer: C. The only people the public can hold responsible for any bad decisions made by the Metrolinx Board are their MPPs. But even if an MPP belongs to the party in power, they likely have no influence over who the Premier appoints as Minister of Transportation and who the Minister appoints to the Metrolinx Board.
This means that the Metrolinx Board is effectively immune from any public accountability. And that means 15 people who have no responsibility and accountability to the public get to determine Toronto’s transit future.Rate this question:
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Mar 20, 2022Quiz Edited by
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May 16, 2010Quiz Created by
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