The 2006 Transportation Tomorrow study said less than 8 percent of residents living outside Toronto use public transport while only 23 percent of those with homes within the city commute.
The increasing preference for private vehicles has caused gridlock, which was equivalent to $2 billion in lost productivity in the region for one year. The high usage of private vehicles has also taken its toll on the city residents' health with high incidents of respiratory ailments, childhood asthma and obesity.
By 2031, Metrolinx estimates Greater Toronto Area's population to rise to 8.6 million, with the population growth mostly in towns outside the city proper. To address the potential transportation problem the area is expected to have, Metrolinx is now drafting plans to cover the region from Oshawa and York Region to Hamilton.
Rob MacIsaac, chair of Metrolinx, told the Toronto Star, "We need to change the culture in transportation... The car is going to pay a role for the foreseeable future, but we can introduce a lot of elements in combination with the car to have a much more effective system than we have today."
Meanwhile, the GO train announced track repairs throughout the Lakeshore line from Monday to Friday, warning rail commuters of possible coach delays. GO riders were advised to take earlier trains to give them sufficient times to adjust to the delays and consult the transit's website for schedule changes and service updates.
