March 2016

Markham Office
Markham Board of Trade

7271 Warden Avenue

Markham, ON L3R 5X5

Richmond Hill Office
Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce

376 Church Street South

Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9V8

info@smartcommutemrh.ca

289-844-3026

Thanks for participating in Carpool Week!

Another successful Carpool Week has come to an end! From January 25th to February 5th, we met hundreds of enthusiastic carpoolers at our workplaces, and helped those interested in sharing their rides find a match on the trip tool.

Here are the final statistics from the Smart Commute MRH network during Carpool Week:

602 carpool or vanpool trips logged
24,131.5 km of trips logged
2.8 tons of CO2 saved
$3,904 saved by sharing rides

Let's keep it going!

Carpool Week may be over, but we want the ride-sharing to continue! You can reap the benefits of carpooling - which include saving time and money, and reducing stress - throughout the year, and log your trips at explore.smartcommute.ca.

Our local Carpool Week winners

Smart Commute MRH presents winners of the

Carpool Week contest with their prizes. Clockwise

from top left: Niwaz Mann, David Zhu and

Wasef Jamil.

Logging their ride-sharing trips during Carpool Week paid off for Niwaz Mann, David Zhu and Wasef Jamil! In addition to saving time and money, they won great prizes courtesy of our workplaces,

Sheraton Parkway Toronto North and

Costco!

Holly Nadalin of the Town of Richmond Hill was selected as the winner of our "Selfie Contest." She tweeted a selfie with her carpool partner during their drive to work, and was awarded with a restaurant gift card to use for their morning coffee or breakfast run!

Congratulations to all winners!

RER Station Access

On February 10th, the Metrolinx Board of Directors, Toronto Mayor John Tory and Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca met to discuss GO Regional Express Rail (RER). One significant objective in implementing the RER program is to ensure that GO stations can accommodate various travel modes and reduce dependency on single-occupancy vehicles. View the presentation from Metrolinx here.

Metrolinx has identified the following priority modes for station access:

Walking
Cycling (including bikeshare)
Public transit
Pick-up and Drop-off (including taxis and mobility service vehicles)
Parking (including carpool, electric vehicle, and staggered times)

Visit explore.smartcommute.ca to discover your transportation options to and from GO stations throughout the GTHA.

Upcoming Events

Markham Board of Trade

Women's Networking Luncheon

Tuesday, March 8th

11 am to 2 pm

Angus Glen Golf Club

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce Business Awards

Tuesday, March 8th

6 to 9:30 pm

Sheraton Parkway Toronto North

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Sign the Blue Dot Petition for a Healthy and Sustainable Environment

The Blue Dot movement strives to ensure Canadians have the right to clean air and water, safe food and a stable climate, and can influence decisions that affect our health and well-being.

Its goals include: encouraging municipalities to pass a declaration supporting the right to a healthy environment (the Town of Richmond Hill did this in March 2015), and ensuring these rights are recognized in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom.

Join over 90,000 Canadians and 100 municipalities by visiting bluedot.ca/join-us/, signing the hard copy petition at Covernotes tea and coffee shop, or liking the Facebook page!

News and Interesting Reads

Hundreds of residents joined Richmond Hill's Mayor and Councillors to provide input on a secondary plan that aims to enhance the town's "walkable main street". Read

Register for the Ontario Bike Summit on April 19th and 20th to hear from cycling experts and explore best practices from Ontario and other jurisdictions! Read

Metrolinx has announced that it will reduce fares for the Union Pearson Express to $9 for those using PRESTO, and $12 for those without. Read

Here's a unique concept for a smart commute - a cable car that could connect Broadview TTC Station to Evergreen Brick Works! Read

Ontario's Electric Vehicle Incentive Program will make it easier to buy a low- or zero-emissions vehicle. Read

Check out our GOLD and SILVER workplace designation recipients in our photo gallery! View here

OUR SPONSORS

OUR PARTNERS

What is Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill?

Smart Commute is a sustainable transportation program of the municipalities of Markham and Richmond Hill, York Region and Metrolinx. We help local employers and commuters, like you, explore different commute choices like carpooling, cycling and transit.

Our goal is to ease gridlock, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while making your commute less expensive and more enjoyable.