Oh, Canada: Mobility Pricing Conference in Toronto

For those interested and not covered in two inches of ice, I will be speaking (twice!) at the Mobility Pricing Conference put on by Transport Futures in Toronto Thursday, February 3. I assume that NYC will no longer be covered in two inches of ice by the time my plane leaves.
Details:

Mobility Pricing Conference

Metropolitan Hotel, Toronto -- Thursday, February 3, 2011

With the successful completion of four Transport Futures Road Pricing Forums in just two years, over 30 international, national and provincial experts have joined more than 400 delegates to scrutinize the tolling issues that count: technology, public acceptance, leadership and land use planning – and we will ensure that the scrutiny continues. But since Transport Futures was founded to explore transportation demand management (TDM) and infrastructure funding from every angle, the Mobility Pricing Conference agenda expands our respectful dialogue to include public transit fares, parking fees and gas taxes.

International research and experience has demonstrated that, like road pricing, these fiscal measures can be set by government in order to modify driver behaviour, raise earmarked revenue for transportation infrastructure and assist in making bureaucracies more efficient, transparent and accountable to the public. These worthy objectives are not easy to achieve and lead to several difficult questions:

* Is the current tax generation system more equitable than paying for government services when they are consumed (as is considered normal when purchasing private goods and services)?
* Why do Canadians view user fees as inequitable or as a double tax – be it for transportation, health, education or other government services?
* How can parking fees, transit fares, gas taxes and road tolls be established to ensure equity and efficiency? How do they compare with other taxes that are not directly linked to transportation (e.g. regional sales taxes, income tax)?
* What role does politics play when setting mobility prices?

We will answer these questions -- and many more -- with the assistance of the following international and national experts:

* Dr. Lisa Schweitzer, School of Policy, Planning, & Development, University of Southern California
* Mr. Bruno Jacques, Transport Canada
* Dr. David King, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, Columbia University
* Dr. Keith Neuman, Environics Research Group Ltd.
* Dr. Roger von Haefen, Center for Environmental & Resource Economic Policy, North Carolina State University
* Professor Harry Kitchen, Department of Economics, Trent University
* Dr. Jeff Casello, School of Planning & Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo
* Mr. Peter Mills, Perrin Thorau & Associates
* Mr. Ralph Bond, BA Consulting Group
* Dr. Brendon Hemily, Hemily & Associates

Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn what role user fees play in Ontario and how mobility pricing can drive transport efficiency, sustainability and social justice! Spaces are limited so be sure to register by January 31st to take advantage of our incredible regular rates!

Who should attend?

You'll want to attend the Mobility Pricing Conference if you work or have an interest in urban planning/development, transportation policy/planning/engineering, goods movement, transit, cycling/walking, energy, climate change, infrastructure, asset management, agriculture, tourism, engineering, law, health, social justice, taxation, business/trade, finance/economics, education, social marketing, politics and/or sustainability.
We look forward to seeing you at The Metropolitan Hotel on February 3rd!