What would you do for 32? Politicians & Residents to be challenged to pledge action on GTHA's growing gridlock at CivicAction forum today

TORONTO, April 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, CivicAction will launch a pledge to tackle gridlock in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) with support for funding sources that are efficient; transparent & accountable; regional; fair; sustainable; and dedicated to building the rest of The Big Move regional transportation plan.

The organization will call on residents and civic leaders to go to your32.com to pledge their support and encourage their GTHA elected officials to do the same.

The pledge will be launched at 12:15 pm by CivicAction's Chair John Tory and Chief Executive Officer Mitzie Hunter at the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move, a gathering of 300 GTHA business, government, labour, academic, and community leaders.

"The road ahead will require tough choices for all of us and for our elected leaders," said John Tory. "This pledge will move everyone forward together to make the commitments we need to build a regional transportation system that will support our growth and prosperity."

"Residents have told us how their lives would be better with a better transportation network," said CEO Mitzie Hunter. "Now we're calling on them to say what they are ready to do for that better system, and to invite their politicians to join them. This pledge will build the evidence politicians need to take action to fix our congestion crisis."

CivicAction poll shows support for politicians who support transportation
New CivicAction poll results* released today indicate that a majority (54 per cent) of respondents are more likely to vote for a politician who supports better transportation in the GTHA.

CivicAction will share the results of the pledge campaign with GTHA residents and politicians to encourage action on Metrolinx's Investment Strategy and build the network that will unlock the rich potential of our region.

About the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move
Today 300 civic leaders will make their move to support better transportation for the GTHA. Speakers include Jennifer Keesmaat, Chief Planner, City of Toronto; Rob Prichard, Chair, Metrolinx; Scott Reed, Assistant General Manager, Communications, RTD-Denver; Jan Sturesson, Global Leader, Government & Public Services, PwC; Tom Weyandt, Senior Policy Advisor for Transportation, Mayor's Office, City of Atlanta; and Bob Paddon, EVP, Strategic Planning and Public Affairs, TransLink, Vancouver.

CivicAction will deliver feedback coming out of today's Forum to Metrolinx and to governments on the issues that matter to the region, including what it will take to earn the public's trust for new transportation expansion, and how to maximize the benefits of transportation expansion for all residents and neighbourhoods.

CivicAction Forum sponsors include the Government of Ontario, Manulife Financial, OLG, RBC, BMO Financial Group, Metrolinx, TD, Boston Consulting Group, Carpenters' Union, City of Toronto, Daniels Corporation, Toronto Port Authority, Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO), Rogers, Ontario Power Generation, Metcalf Foundation, MTS Allstream, and Toronto Hydro.

For more information, visit www.civicaction.ca/forum

About CivicAction's Your32 campaign
CivicAction's campaign aims to build support for a better regional transportation system and the need for new sustainable ways to pay for it. CivicAction and its 50+ team of civic Champions and Regional Co-Captains has asked people what they would do with an extra 32 minutes** in their day. This next phase asks what they would do for an extra 32 minutes a day. For more information, visit www.your32.com.

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships with organizations, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

*The poll was conducted by Forum Research on behalf of CivicAction between March 28 and April 3, 2013 using a randomly selected sample of 1491 GTHA residents. The poll was conducted by Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, 19 out of 20 times.

**Thirty-two minutes is the difference between the average commute time if Metrolinx's regional transportation plan The Big Move is funded and built over the next 25 years (77 min) and the average commute time if no comprehensive system is put in place (109 min). (Source: Metrolinx.)

SOURCE: CivicAction