Ont Goods Movement Strategy Blueprint Almost Complete

(May 11, 2012) -- A draft of the Ontario Goods Movement Strategy is expected to be ready in June, with a final blueprint and action plan to come in the fall.

A Ministry of Transportation official made the announcement at the Supply Chain Canada conference, Truck News magazine reports.
 
James Perttula, manager of the Goods Movement Office within the Transportation Policy Branch at the Ministry of Transportation, said the strategy will examine how Canada's most heavily populated and congested province can best move goods. 

"Regardless of how fast the economy is going to grow, we know it will grow and that Ontario's population will grow and that is going to have an impact. If congestion is an issue now, it will be even more of an issue in 20 years," Perttula was quoted as saying.

The project is said to complement work being done on the Continental Gateway Strategy.

The strategy will also address how to ensure a competitive and streamlined regulatory environment; build partnerships to strengthen transportation planning; and integrate sustainability practices into transportation

Stakeholders' wish list essentially boils down to three basic demands, says Perttula:

- Strong infrastructure, with access to efficient multimodal supply chains.

- Addressing intermodal connections and time sensitive shipments that are particularly vulnerable to congestion and regulatory delays. (Perttula said there is need to educate the municipalities on how freight moves best to ensure municipal bylaws don't have a negative impact on freight flows).

- Competing with other jurisdictions, which are increasing their focus on goods movement planning and statewide/multi-state freight plans are increasingly common in the US.