For years, the federal, provincial and municipal governments have recognized the growing problems of traffic congestion in major urban areas and the resulting economic, social and environmental costs. Subsequent task forces, councils and committees called for action to “relieve gridlock in the long-term”.

In 2002, the City of Toronto approved its new Official Plan, the foundation for the TTC’s Ridership Growth Strategy (RGS, 2003), and Building a Transit City (BTC, 2004). Between 2004 and 2006, implementation began on the RGS and BTC, specifically, cost-effective and environmentally-sustainable bus and streetcar rapid transit in the St. Clair Avenue, Yonge Street/Finch Station and York University corridors.

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