Forum politique de l’ACTU 2025

Merci à tous les conférenciers, délégués et participants de vous être joints à nous. Le Forum sur les politiques 2025 de l’ACTU a réuni certains des plus grands experts nord-américains du transport collectif et de la mobilité urbaine afin de discuter de l’avenir de notre industrie. Maintenir un dialogue intersectoriel est essentiel pour assurer le bon fonctionnement des réseaux de transport collectif et leur capacité d’adaptation face au changement. En tant que porte-parole national de l’industrie canadienne du transport collectif, l’ACTU est fière d’organiser chaque année cet événement dans la capitale nationale afin de faire progresser les politiques de transport collectif, en particulier à l’échelle fédérale.

Lieu

Lord Elgin Hotel
Pearson Room
Rue 100 Elgin, Ottawa, ON K1P 5K8

Programme

• 8 h 00 – Petit-déjeuner et allocution de bienvenue
  • Dave Reage
    Executive Director, Strategic Infrastructure and Transportation Planning, Halifax Regional Municipality
  • Councillor Glen Gower
    Councillor – Ward 6 Stittsville, City of Ottawa
• 9 h 00 – Session d’ouverture : Financer l’avenir du transport au Canada
  • Mayor Linda Buchanan
    Mayor of the City of North Vancouver
  • Karl Bélanger
    Founding President of Traxxion Strategies
• 9 h 15 – Table ronde : Financer l’avenir du transport au Canada
  • Mayor Nathan Pachal
    Mayor of the City of Langley
  • Maureen Cosyn-Heath
    City of Mississauga, Director of Transit (MiWay)
  • Éric Alan Caldwell
    Chair of the Board of Directors, Société de transport de Montréal
  • Joe Mihevc
    Vice-Chair, Toronto Transit Commission
• 10 h 00 – Pause
• 10 h 20 – Entretien informel : Le transport collectif comme infrastructure de construction nationale
  • Andrew Hope
    Chief Capital Officer (Rapid Transit), Metrolinx
  • Marco D’Angelo
    President & CEO, Canadian Urban Transit Association
• 11 h 05 – Présentation et période de questions : Stimuler l’économie grâce aux investissements en transport collectif
  • Dr. Eric J. Miller
    University of Toronto, Professor, Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering
• 11 h 20 – Panel : Stimuler l’économie grâce aux investissements en transport collectif
  • Dr. Steven Farber
    Professor of Human Geography at the University of Toronto Scarborough
  • Michael McDaniel
    Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC) President and General Manager
  • Nicolas Letendre
    Letenda CEO & Founder
  • Ian Hodkinson
    Alstom, Technical and Business Development Director, Transit Systems
  • Kirsten Watson
    AECOM, VP Government Relations & Transit Market Sector Leader
• 12 h 15 – Déjenuer
• 13 h 30 – Allocutions des élus
• 14 h 00 – Présentations et période de questions sur l’intersection entre le logement et les politiques de transport
  • Francis Garnier
    Conseiller aux affaires publiques, Vivre en Ville
• 14 h 10 – Presentations on Housing is on the Line
  • David Cooper
    Leading Mobility Consulting
• 14 h 20 – Presentations on Transit Oriented Communities
  • Kathryn Exon Smith
    Senior Research Officer at the School of Cities, University of Toronto
• 14 h 30 – Q&A on Presentations
• 14 h 45 – Remarques de clôture
  • Marco D’Angelo
    President & CEO, Canadian Urban Transit Association
• 15 h 00 – Fin

Conférenciers

Ian Hodkinson

Alstom

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Ian Hodkinson, Alstom

Technical and Business Development Director, Transit Systems

As Technical and Business Development Director, Transit Systems, Ian is involved in understanding authorities’ transit planning needs, and helping them achieve those objectives through selection of the best technological solutions for mass transit. Ian is involved in business development opportunities and turnkey contracts of all kinds, whether light rail, hybrid, hydrogen and battery propulsion systems or high speed. Over the past few years, he has held various important roles within complex systems engineering projects, as well as in numerous public-private partnerships. Ian holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and has more than 20 years of varied experience in the rail industry with Alstom Transportation.

Dave Reage

Halifax Regional Municipality

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Dave Reage. Halifax Regional Municipality

Executive Director, Strategic Infrastructure and Transportation Planning

Dave Reage’s career in the planning and transportation industry has spanned over 20 years. He has recently taken on the new role of Executive Director, Strategic Infrastructure and Transportation Planning, where he leads the team that will improve the integration and expediency of strategic planning, focused on infrastructure and transportation, within the growing Halifax region.
Prior to taking on this role, he worked with Halifax Transit for 18 years. During this time he worked his way through the ranks of the organization, ultimately serving as its Executive Director for nine years. In this role he was responsible for the overall provision of transit services in the Halifax region, delivered through more than 1,000 staff, 400 buses and five harbour ferries.
Over the course of his career, Dave has worked in both the private and public sector, primarily in Transportation Planning, Public Transit, and Project Management. He has had the opportunity to lead initiatives that have resulted in significant transit service and infrastructure improvements in Halifax and beyond.
Dave has also made significant contributions to the transit industry nationally, currently serving as Chair of the Canadian Urban Transit Association. He is also one of HRM’s appointees to the Technical Advisory Board for Link Nova Scotia.
Dave holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Saint Mary’s University and a Master of Urban and Rural Planning Degree from Dalhousie University. He is a full member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and a Licensed Professional Planner in the province of Nova Scotia.
In November 2022, Dave was honoured to receive the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his public service and leadership in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maureen Cosyn-Heath

City of Mississauga

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Maureen Cosyn-Heath, City of Mississauga

Director of Transit (MiWay)

Mairesse Linda Buchanan

La ville de Vancouver

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Mairesse Linda Buchanan

Mairesse de la ville de Vancouver

Linda Buchanan entame son deuxième mandat à titre de mairesse de la Ville de Vancouver Nord. Avant d’être élue à la mairie, Linda a œuvré pendant 30 ans comme infirmière en santé publique, travaillant auprès d’enfants et familles. Elle a également siégé pendant deux mandats comme conseillère municipale et un mandat comme commissaire scolaire.
Elle vise à bâtir une communauté en bonne santé et inclusive pour tous. En mettant l’accent sur la prospérité partagée, la mobilité, la durabilité, la vitalité et des espaces conviviaux, Linda souhaite améliorer la qualité de vie à l’échelle de la Ville. Elle est à l’origine de l’initiative visant à faire de Vancouver Nord « la petite ville la plus en santé au monde » et place la santé et le bien-être des résidents au cœur de ses décisions.
Née et élevée à Vancouver Nord, Linda connaît très bien sa communauté. Elle y a d’ailleurs élevé ses quatre enfants avec son mari Kevin. Fière maman de joueur de hockey, Linda croit au pouvoir du sport et des loisirs. Elle adore la scène artistique locale ainsi que le jazz, et il n’est pas rare de la voir faire du vélo sur le sentier Spirit Trail. Elle est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en sciences infirmières avec distinction de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique. En 2019, elle a reçu la Médaille du centenaire en reconnaissance de ses réalisations dans le domaine des soins infirmiers.

Joe Mihevc

Toronto Transit Commission

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Joe Mihevc, Toronto Transit Commission

Vice-Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission

Joe’s educational background includes an MA and PhD in theology. Prior to holding elected office, Joe held a variety of teaching positions at the University of Toronto and the Toronto School of Theology teaching in the areas of social ethics, Holocaust Studies, Canadian Mennonite history, environmental ethics, and literature and theology.
Joe’s deep concern for urban issues and community-building led him to be an advocate for strong neighbourhoods, affordable housing, healthy communities, a clean environment, and safe streets. He has served in a variety of capacities that have allowed him to demonstrate his commitment to democratic, accessible and responsible government.
He served as a City Councillor in the midtown area for 28 years from 1991-2018. In 2022 he was also appointed as Councillor for Spadina-Fort York, filling a vacancy.
As Chair of the Board of Health from 2000-2003 and 2013-2018, and 2022, Joe led many initiatives to help improve health and safety across the city. His accomplishments include championing the city’s Student Nutrition Program, the implementation of the Green-Yellow-Red restaurant disclosure system, the restaurant smoking by-law, the adoption of a pesticide by-law, the investment in control measures to prevent the spread of West Nile Virus, and the management of the SARS outbreak. He has returned to chair the Board of Health in 2022 helping to manage the tail end of the COVID pandemic.
As Vice-Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) from 2003-2010, Joe worked on key projects to improve public transit in Toronto, including leading the charge to replace the aging fleet of streetcars with new, modern Light Rail Vehicles, and the installation of the St Clair right of way light rail project.
Joe is a past member of the city’s Budget Committee and has chaired the Community Services Committee, the Roundtable on Access and Equity and Human Rights, the Disability Issues Committee and the Ethics Steering Committee. He is a recipient of a Bob Marley Award recognizing commitment to diversity, and the 2011 African Canadian Achievement Award for his long-time work with the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival Toronto, and has received the keys to the City of Soyapango, El Salvador, for his work on public health capacity building initiatives in that city.
Since 2018, Joe has been a visiting professor in urban studies at York University and University of Toronto Scarborough. He has also provided consulting and mediation services through Mihevc Consulting and Mediation Ltd.
Joe’s most recent city-related committee and board appointments include being vice-chair of the Toronto Transit Commission. He also works with Toronto Shelter and Support Services in community engagement to help locate new shelters for unhoused individuals in the city.
Joe Mihevc continues an active portfolio of pro bono community work with a number of community-based organizations including: Board member of FCJ house (a refugee serving agency), and volunteer with Hillcrest Village Players (a local community theatre group).

Andrew Hope

Chief Capital Officer (Rapid Transit), Metrolinx

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Andrew Hope

Chief Capital Officer (Rapid Transit), Metrolinx

Andrew Hope is the Chief Capital Officer (Rapid Transit) for Metrolinx. In this role, Andrew leads the portion of the Capital Projects Group responsible for a globally significant program of subway and light rail transit (LRT) projects. This integrated team brings together hundreds of skilled Metrolinx employees with partners from the private sector with a shared focus on delivering complex projects safely, on time and on budget. His portfolio comprises of region-changing megaprojects like the Ontario Line, extensions of the Toronto subway network with the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Scarborough Subway Extension projects, Toronto LRT projects with the Finch West LRT, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT – and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and new LRTs in Hamilton, and along Hurontario Street in Mississauga and Brampton.
Andrew has a variety of public sector leadership experience, managing multi-stakeholder transit construction and delivery initiatives across multiple levels of government. Andrew most recently joined Metrolinx in 2015 and has held leadership positions focusing on specific elements of his current portfolio, including overseeing the implementation of the four provincial priority projects, the delivery of light rail and bus rapid transit projects, and managing the Finch West LRT and Hamilton LRT projects, respectively. Previously, Andrew filled a number of senior infrastructure policy and delivery roles with both the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada, including positions in the Cabinet Office, Pan/Parapan Am Games infrastructure delivery, and Transport Canada.
Andrew has an Honours Degree in Geography from the University of Waterloo as well as a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto.

Kathryn Exon Smith

University of Toronto

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Kathryn Exon Smith, University of Toronto

Senior Research Officer at the School of Cities, University of Toronto

Kathryn Exon Smith is Senior Research Officer at the School of Cities, University of Toronto, where she focuses on research and partnership engagement in infrastructure, transit-oriented communities, and equitable development. She has worked with a variety of organizations in Canada and the United States in urban planning policy, curriculum design, and non-profit leadership and governance, helping to bridge the gap between research and practice. Kathryn holds degrees from the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley, where her research centred on transportation, infrastructure, and economic development.

Kirsten Watson

AECOM

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Kirsten Watson, AECOM

VP Government Relations & Transit Market Sector Leader

At AECOM, Kirsten leads growth and strategic initiatives for AECOM’s transportation business across Canda and supports the global transit market growth agenda. She works closely with clients, partners and across AECOM to help plan, solve and deliver on the transportation projects that move people and goods to build connected communities. Prior to joining AECOM, Kirsten held the position of Deputy CEO at the Toronto Transit Commission. In her nearly 19 years at the TTC, Kirsten held numerous leadership roles in subway and bus operations, customer experience, human resources, and employee relations. She was a key member of the leadership team responsible for the installation of Automatic Train Control on Line 1, the implementation of the King Street streetcar right of way, and planning operations for the significant expansion of subway and light rail transit lines across the transit network. Previously, Kirsten worked as a labour and employment lawyer with a Toronto law firm and led dispute resolution activities at the Ontario Ministry of Labour. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Windsor. Kirsten is on the boards of OPTA and CUTA and is co-chair of the Future of Infrastructure Group (FIG). She is a long-term member of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), Greater Toronto Area chapter, where she is currently serving as Past-President.

David Cooper, MPl., MCIP, RPP

Leading Mobility Consulting

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David Cooper

Leading Mobility Consulting

David Cooper has contributed to numerous transformative transportation initiatives across Canada. David is the principal and founder of Leading Mobility Consulting. David has worked on complex and innovative transit projects across Canada ranging from transit feasibility studies for communities exploring public transit to the development and construction of rapid transit projects in Canada’s largest cities.
Through his consultancy David has worked on a series of national reports and strategies including authoring the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s COVID-19 National Recovery Strategy, a foundational plan which has helped to obtain emergency operational funding to maintain transit service, the first national study on women’s travel patterns on public transit and the recent “Housing is on the Line”, a policy report on the nexus of housing supply and public transit.
David firmly believes in supporting and facilitating success for new community builders. Through his work teaching as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Calgary, University of Alberta, University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, he instructs future planners on transportation policy, planning processes and public consultation.
David’s contributions to city building and transportation have been nationally recognized. He was the recipient of the ‘President’s Award for Young Planner of the Year’ granted by the Canadian Institute of Planners, the ‘Individual Leadership Award’ from the Canadian Urban Transit Association, and received Mass Transit’s ‘Top 40 Under 40 Award’ in North America.

Dr. Steven Farber

University of Toronto Scarborough

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Dr. Steven Farber, University of Toronto Scarborough

Professor of Human Geography at the University of Toronto Scarborough

Dr. Steven Farber is a Professor of Human Geography at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where he specializes in transport planning, social inclusion, and spatial analysis. As the Project Director of Mobilizing Justice, he leads a national initiative addressing transportation inequities in Canadian cities through intersectoral research and knowledge mobilization. This project aims to enhance accessibility and address participation challenges for equity-deserving communities, while developing innovative tools for more equitable transportation outcomes. Steven also serves as the Director of the Mobility Network at the School of Cities, where he leads strategic initiatives in the transportation sector on behalf of the University of Toronto. His research contributions focus on understanding the impact of transit accessibility on activity participation, time use, and social inclusion. He employs spatial analysis, survey analysis, and mixed methods to advance his work. Steven is dedicated to integrating his research findings into practical solutions and policy recommendations and is a regular advisor to agencies at all three orders of Canadian government.

Dr. Eric J. Miller,

University of Toronto

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Dr. Eric J. Miller, University of Toronto

Professor, Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto

Dr. Eric J. Miller, Professor, Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto is Director of UofT’s Travel Modelling Group and Data Management Group, and past Director of Mobility Network. Primary research areas include advanced agent-based modeling of activity and travel for operational planning use and integrated transportation – land use modeling for sustainable urban design. He has chaired or been a member of over 50 urban or intercity modeling peer review panels, and has international demand modeling experience in Australia, Egypt, India and Latin America. He is a past Chair of the US Transportation Research Board Travel Behavior & Values Committee, as well as past Chair of the International Association for Travel Behaviour Research and winner of its 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. He also is the inaugural winner of the University of British Columbia Margolese National Design for Living Award (2012), He is co-author of the textbook Urban Transportation Planning: A Decision-Oriented Approach, currently in its third edition.

Nicolas Letendre

Letenda

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Nicolas Letendre, Letenda

CEO & Founder

Nicolas Letendre is an engineer with over 15 years of experience in the vehicle manufacturing industry. Driven by a passion for innovation, sustainability and collaboration, he founded Letenda, a company that markets a new generation of mid-size electric city buses designed to meet customer needs.

Michael McDaniel

Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC)

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Michael McDaniel, Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC)

Président et directeur général

Michael McDaniel est président et directeur général de Coast Mountain Bus Company (CMBC), la plus importante société d’exploitation du réseau TransLink. Il s’est joint à CMBC en 2018 à titre de président et directeur général, après avoir siégé trois ans au conseil d’administration de CMBC, dont deux années à titre de président.
Avant de se joindre à CMBC, Michael a été président et chef de la direction de la Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) pendant quinze ans, où il était responsable de l’ensemble des activités de l’organisation, y compris les relations communautaires et gouvernementales. Durant son mandat, il a dirigé la transition de la PNE, passant de la propriété provinciale à celle de la Ville de Vancouver.
Michael possède également une expérience dans les secteurs de l’hôtellerie, du tourisme et du divertissement, pour des entreprises locales et américaines. Il a aussi agi comme consultant contractuel, offrant son expertise en développement organisationnel et en gestion.
Il siège au conseil d’administration de l’Association canadienne du transport urbain (ACTU) à titre de premier vice-président, ainsi qu’à Invest Vancouver, un comité permanent du conseil de district régional de Metro Vancouver.
Michael détient la désignation de l’Institut des administrateurs de sociétés (IAS), ce qui témoigne de son engagement envers l’excellence au sein des conseils d’administration.
En 2005, il a été reconnu parmi les « 40 personnes de moins de 40 ans les plus influentes » par Business in Vancouver.
Michael est titulaire d’un baccalauréat des arts de l’Université Simon Fraser ainsi que d’une maîtrise en administration des affaires (MBA) de la Beedie School of Business de l’Université Simon Fraser.

Éric Alan Caldwell

Société de transport de Montréal

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Éric Alan Caldwell, Société de transport de Montréal

Président du conseil d’administration

Éric Alan Caldwell est président du conseil d’administration de la Société de transport de Montréal (STM) depuis novembre 2021. Il siégeait à ce conseil depuis le mois de juin de la même année. M. Caldwell est aussi conseiller municipal du district Hochelaga dans l’arrondissement de Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve depuis 2013.
Citoyen engagé et fier résident de Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, M. Caldwell s’est rapidement intéressé aux questions entourant le réaménagement de grands secteurs urbains montréalais, la création de quartiers mixtes et à l’amélioration de l’offre en transport collectif et actif.
Éric Alan Caldwell est convaincu que le transport collectif est un incontournable pour répondre à l’urgence climatique, créer des milieux de vie à échelle humaine et lutter contre l’auto-solo, l’étalement urbain et la congestion routière. Il souhaite faire du transport collectif un puissant levier d’inclusion qui permet à l’ensemble de la population de s’épanouir, se déplacer et contribuer à la société.
En tant que président du C.A., il amènera la STM à se renouveler pour continuer à répondre aux attentes des clients et celles des générations futures. M. Caldwell est engagé à travailler avec l’équipe de gestion en place et les employés chevronnés de la Société afin de relever les défis dans le contexte de la pandémie, notamment, l’évolution des attentes des clients, le télétravail, les enjeux de financement et le maintien des actifs qui est nécessaire pour maintenir et améliorer l’offre de service.
Il souhaite également amorcer une évolution interne pour se moderniser et s’adapter à cette nouvelle réalité. M. Caldwell entend donc s’assurer de mettre en place, en collaboration avec l’équipe de direction, les conditions gagnantes pour que la STM réussisse ce rendez-vous avec l’histoire et pérenniser le transport collectif à Montréal.
Diplômé de l’UQAM en sciences économiques et en scénarisation cinématographique, Éric Alan Caldwell a présidé le Comité consultatif d’urbanisme de son arrondissement et il a siégé à la Commission sur le développement économique et urbain et l’habitation, de même qu’à la Commission sur l’inspecteur général.

Mayor Nathan Pachal

Mayor of the City of Langley

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Mayor Nathan Pachal

Mayor of the City of Langley

Whether by collaborating with other members of Council, with various community groups, within the region, and with the province, Nathan has worked hard to bring forward awareness around intersecting components of affordable, sustainable, healthy, happy, and accessible community design.
He believes we need a diverse transportation system that allows people to take transit, cycle, walk, or drive throughout the entire region. He co-authored a report “Leap Ahead: A transit plan for Metro Vancouver” to bring awareness to the importance of accessible transit networks.
In 2010, he completed the SFU & City of Surrey Transportation Lecture Program and presented on “Complete Streets”. He was a delegate for the CUTA Youth Summit in Vancouver back in 2011.
Nathan was first elected to Council in a 2016 by-election and elected Mayor in 2022.

Francis Garnier

Vivre en Ville

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Francis Garnier, Vivre en Ville

Conseiller aux affaires publiques

Titulaire d’une maîtrise en urbanisme (UdeM) et d’un baccalauréat en architecture (McGill), candidat à l’Ordre des urbanistes du Québec, Francis se spécialise dans le financement et la gouvernance du transport collectif, et produit notamment l’analyse de données pour l’Alliance TRANSIT. Il analyse budgets et politiques, et contribue à divers enjeux de mobilité durable, comme la création d’une calculatrice des coûts de mobilité individuelle ou la promotion de la planification intégrée transports-aménagement.

Avant de rejoindre l’équipe de Vivre en Ville en 2023, Francis était analyste et graphiste pour la réalisation de portraits statistiques du marché de l’habitation. Aux études, il a étudié la gouvernance et le financement du Réseau express métropolitain (REM) en comparant aux partenariats public-privés. Fervent défenseur du cocktail de mobilité durable et d’écofiscalité, il œuvre dans une perspective d’équité territoriale et de résilience à long terme.

Conseiller Glen Gower

La ville d’Ottawa

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Conseiller Glen Gower, la ville d’Ottawa

Conseiller – Quartier 6 Stittsville

Glen Gower a été élu pour la première fois comme conseiller — quartier 6 Stittsville à la Ville d’Ottawa en 2018; il a été réélu en 2022. Il siège actuellement à plusieurs comités municipaux et conseils communautaires, notamment à titre de président du Comité du transport en commun, de vice-président du Comité de la planification et du logement, et de membre du Groupe de travail sur le plan financier à long terme du transport collectif. Le bénévolat et le service public occupent une place importante dans la vie de Glen depuis aussi longtemps qu’il s’en souvienne, et demeurent au cœur de son rôle de conseiller. Il est également un usager assidu du transport collectif et un ardent défenseur de la mobilité active.

Karl Bélanger

Founding President of Traxxion Strategies

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Karl Bélanger, Traxxion Strategies

Founding President of Traxxion Strategies

Founding President of Traxxion Strategies, Karl Bélanger worked for almost 20 years on Parliament Hill as a Senior Communications Advisor. During his political career, Karl served four successive NDP leaders, notably as senior press secretary for Jack Layton and principal secretary for Thomas Mulcair.
After serving as National Director of the NDP in 2016, Karl retired from politics to become a consultant in strategic communications and media relations.
A sought-after political commentator and analyst, Karl can be heard daily on Cogeco’s 104.7 FM in the national capital region. He also appears weekly on CTV’s Power Play, on Radio-Canada’s L’agenda and on CFRA in Ottawa. He is a regular collaborator of L’Actualité and publishes a column for Loonie Politics.