An Overview of Canadian Public Transit
Summary
Public transit, especially coupled up with infrastructure and networks, plays a significant role in the development of any city as it decreases the cost of living, increases the productivity of a business and most importantly reduces the rate of pollution by reducing greenhouse gases among other benefits to the economy of a nation. In her article, Canadian Points of View: Public Transit, Wong Jessica reviews the different measures taken by governments to encourage Canadians to prefer public transport to driving. Like the introduction of the 2006 – 2007 nonrefundable tax credit. All this in a bid to significantly reduce greenhouse gases and air pollutants, among other benefits to the economy, with respect to both small and large cities of Canada. She also explains that public transportation is a significant solution to traffic congestion in cities to the ones who do not have vehicles and those who cannot drive. The Canadian government has invested heavily in public transport through the enactment of some laws and the introduction of many different programs that both creates and upgrades public transport, all for purposes of achieving the aims of public transit.
Response
As part of her discussion, Jessica considers the rise of public transit on the onset of the twentieth century, such as Canada’s 1954 first subway line, and the developments of Light Rail Transport (LTR). This shows that public transport had been viewed as a solution to the congestion problems in the fast-growing cities, transportation, and accessibility problem to the less fortunate and ultimately reduced air pollution by reduction of greenhouse gases in as early as the twentieth century. Today, many people in developed countries are always in a bid to have a more luxurious life. They buy cars now and then because they want to keep up with the current technology and fashion of the new model of vehicles every time. This is done without knowing that they are destroying their planet by significantly contributing to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere hence increasing global warming as a result of the destruction of the ozone layer. In my opinion, public transport is a sustainable solution as it reduces the avenues of dangerous emissions by reducing the use of private cars. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Secondly, Government intervention through investing in public transport, creating and supporting other programs that promote public transportation is such a fantastic idea. These programs and initiatives significantly reduce carbon dioxide levels by either eliminating or minimizing the avenues of greenhouse gases (vehicle exhaust systems). Most of these measures by the government, together with other programs, have such benefits to the citizens, such as significantly reducing their costs of living (which is everyone’s dream) that will make them prefer public transport to driving. These measures and initiatives have such a strong influence on the transport industry and will have the citizens think twice about using private cars as well as purchasing new ones.
In conclusion, Wong’s article has enabled me to see the need to save our planet as well as the role I need to play in the environmental protection schemes and the first one being the reduction of my carbon footprint. Initially, I believed in more luxurious life, including buying new cars every year with knowing that I was contributing to destroying my very own planet. It is indeed everybody’s call to support the government in its programs so that together we save our planet.
References
Wong, Jessica C.Y. (2017, December 31). Canadian points of views: public transit. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.myucwest.ca/pov/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=3d73ef15-34cb-4b2cb0b3-6240c82d27e6%40sdc-v-sessmgr03&bdata=Jmxhbmc9ZW4tY2Emc2l0ZT1wb3YtY2Fu#AN=44759822&db=p3h