Left Turn Right Turn

This month marks the first anniversary of LTRT’s Transportation Division, and what an exciting year it has been! Since launching in 2025, we’ve had the opportunity to work on so many great projects that support more connected, accessible, and sustainable communities. Over the past year, our team has contributed to a range of projects with some incredibe clients: Niagara Region's Transportation Master Plan, the Chatham-Kent Mobility Master Plan, the Mississauga Downtown Mobility Hub - the list goes on! Each project has focused on strengthening regional mobility and improving how people move through their communities. We’re incredibly proud of the work completed so far and grateful to our many partners and clients who’ve trusted us to support these important initiatives. Here’s to continued collaboration and many more impactful projects ahead! 

A recent discussion in Metro Vancouver is putting a spotlight on the relationship between transit affordability and mobility, with advocates calling for the introduction of a low-income transit pass as fare increases take effect across the region. When we talk about transit accessibility, we often focus on things like infrastructure, service frequency, and coverage. But affordability is an important piece of the puzzle as well! Even the most comprehensive transit network can become difficult to access if the cost of travel creates barriers for the people who rely on it most. As agencies work to expand and improve transit service, balancing financial sustainability with equitable access is an essential part of the conversation. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gv6jQPDA

"What does Accessible Procurement even mean?”. That’s a question we have heard many times. As one of the seven priority areas outlined in the Accessible Canada Act, federally regulated organizations must examine their procurement practices to identify, prevent, and remove barriers for people with disabilities. But many organizations and don’t know what this means or how they should go about doing it. Until recently, it was difficult to find reliable, Canadian information about accessibility in procurement, or how organizations can improve the accessibility of their procurement processes. This stands in stark contrast to other priority areas, such as digital accessibility or built environment accessibility, where you can find a wealth of information, guidelines, and best practices online. Lack of easily available information on accessible procurement has left many organizations guessing, but luckily, new information is now available. Accessibility Standards Canada has recently published a draft version of what will eventually become the official Canadian Standard for Accessible Procurement. The draft standard answers many of the questions that we have heard from clients. It outlines what should be included in procurement policies, how to make sure and document that accessibility is being considered throughout procurement planning and decision making, and provides guidance on ensuring that the procurement process is accessible for bidders and suppliers with disabilities. The technical committee who authored the draft standard is currently collecting public feedback on the draft. You can read the draft standard, and provide your feedback at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gGQRYrcW

LTRT is on the road again! LTRT staff were recently on-site in the Fraser Valley Regional District conducting pop-ups and ride alongs as part of our Rural Transit Needs Assessment. We're had the chance to meet with locals throughout the District's towns and Electoral Areas to learn about mobility needs, challenges, and priorities for future services. Feedback we received from these activities and our online survey will support the development of actionable solutions for the FVRD to enact in the coming years. A few highlights from our engagement activities: -We met with locals and Electoral Area Directors across the district, hearing directly what kinds of services, connections, and destinations should be prioritized through the Plan. -We rode BC Transit Route 71 and talked with riders about their experience taking the bus, including using BC Transit's new open payment fare system. We conducted a pop-up in beautiful Thompson Regional Park, learning how transit and transportation services might better serve the Chilliwack River Valley. -We spent a lot of quality time with FVRD Staff, leveraging their deep knowledge to understand how the Action Plan can create synergies and tie in with other Regional priorities. We're grateful to be able to get out of the office and to spend time on-site chatting with passionate people -- all the better in a place as stunning as the FVRD! Thanks to all who have participated and supported this round of engagement.

Canada's three largest transit agencies recently joined together to call for stronger and more predictable federal transit funding, noting that uncertainty around long-term funding can delay projects, increase costs, and complicate infrastructure planning. Transit projects often take years to design, procure, and deliver. Whether it's fleet replacement, maintenance facilities, system expansion, or state-of-good-repair investments, agencies rely on stable funding commitments to make informed decisions and move projects forward. It's a useful reminder that successful transit systems aren't built project by project, but rather through long-term planning, sustained investment, and the confidence to think beyond the next budget cycle. For transit agencies looking to find success in the face of uncertain funding, flexibility and innovation are a must when tackling local mobility! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dt4qRP6R

A new Accessible Venue Guide from Tilting the Lens offers a useful reminder: accessibility is about how people actually experience a space. Rather than focusing only on compliance, the guide emphasizes how people move through a venue in practice, from arrival and navigation to communication and participation. It shows the ways that accessibility includes things like clear wayfinding, staff preparedness, and how information is shared, not just physical entry points. It also demonstrates the many ways that small design and operational choices shape whether a space feels usable or exclusionary to people with disabilities. It's a really helpful read for anybody interested not just in accessibility in the arts, but in spaces in general! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dDxgCGn9

Yesterday we highlighted the recent report on accessibility in the Public Service. Today we’re sharing how your organization can address some of the common issues identified. Networks for employees with disabilities exist, but don’t embody inclusivity when necessary resources aren’t provided ·      Expecting employees to volunteer their time can undermine the group’s purpose, increase workload, and contribute to fatigue. These roadblocks make it harder for employees to participate and networks to thrive. People with disabilities aren’t consulted as often as they should be. ·      Ongoing consultation is needed to proactively address accessibility and build connections. All 7 audited organizations lacked meaningful engagement in instances where it would be expected beyond required accessibility plan consultations. ·      An engagement framework, can proactively help organizations know when to involve people with disabilities, types of engagement, frequency, and how feedback will be incorporated. Accommodations processes vary, can be inefficient, and lack proactive approaches to improve processes. ·      The old adage is true – “what gets measured gets done”. Organizations that didn’t track accommodation timelines took significantly longer to resolve accommodation requests. ·      A “lack of clarity or guidance on the accommodation process” was the common reason for delays. ·      These journey mapping exercises and accommodation feedback can identify causes of delays and future trends that could then be addressed more efficiently. Supervisors lack awareness and knowledge of accessibility and accommodations processes. ·      Accessibility training varied, leading to inconsistent levels of knowledge and varied employee experiences. ·      There were inconsistencies in tools used to track and communicate accessibility needs between jobs. Using different resources weakened the tools’ purpose and continuity across government organizations. ·      In our experience, resources are most effective when employees know about them, feel empowered to use them and when resources are widely used to ensure continuity.   If you’re interested, read the full audit findings at the following link: https://lnkd.in/eRHK-7zm Reach out to us if your organization is looking for more targeted support to remove workplace barriers, improve your accommodation processes, or to chat about challenges your facing related to accessibility and how we can help. Our team of experts and people with lived/living experience are here to help!

The federal Public Service is becoming more accessible but organizations still need to work together to build consistency. Recently, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada reported on an audit of 7 government organizations. The audit aimed to determine how well the 7 organizations were fostering an accessible workplace. Overall, the audit reflected much of what we see with our clients in all sectors: ·      There’s an increase in representation of employees with disabilities. ·      Networks for employees with disabilities exist, but don’t embody inclusivity when necessary resources aren’t provided. ·      People with disabilities aren’t consulted as often as they should be. ·      Accommodations processes vary, can be inefficient, and lack proactive approaches to improve processes. ·      Supervisors lack awareness and knowledge of accessibility and accommodations processes. We’ve noticed organizations tackling compliance, easy wins and beginning to find their footing amongst the regulations. Now deeper change is needed that addresses these well-known issues. Tomorrow we’ll share more details about the report findings and recommendations and practical solutions that have helped our clients address the issues above.

For the past year, Left Turn Right Turn has supported the Town of Wasaga Beach in setting the course for the future of transit in their community. Last month, our firm presented the Town's 10-year Transit Master Plan to Council, which was accepted for information. The Master Plan provides a pragmatic and practical approach for transit in Wasaga Beach for the next 10 years including adding an additional route, a new regional transfer hub, and providing staff with the tools to improve and maintain the quality of the service.   It has been our pleasure to work with Town staff over the past year and support their transit journey!   https://lnkd.in/gRvTiW6b

Congratulations to our own Yuval Grinspun on being elected to the OPTA Board of Directors!   In his words: "I am honoured and excited to be elected to the OPTA Board of Directors - I look forward to working alongside my fellow Board members in supporting this important organization and it's members to advocate for strong public transit across Ontario!"   We're excited to see all that the new Board will accomplish over the coming term and look forward to supporting Yuval in this new role. Congratulations to all of the newly elected and returning Board members!