E
Ed007Toronto
Guest
Montreal gaining a competitive edge as Toronto and Vancouver adopt anti-suburbanization measures, says a new study
MONTREAL, June 20 /CNW Telbec/ - A study released today shows that the
Montreal area's competitive position is improving compared to other urban
centres.
"Montreal's superior policies on land use and transportation
infrastructure give it an added advantage over competitors that have taken a
wrong turn," says urban growth expert Wendell Cox, head of the specialized
research firm Demographia and author of a study prepared for the Montreal
Economic Institute.
Cox says the Montreal area - in contrast to cities including Toronto and
Vancouver - can congratulate itself on having steered away from
anti-suburbanization measures such as limiting the growth of the metropolitan
area or blocking expressway construction. Such measures undermine people's
access to housing and hold back their mobility, he states.
Improved housing access
Montreal's "median multiple" (median house price divided by median
household income) has been relatively stable, standing at 3.5. This compares
to 4.4 in Toronto and 6.6 in Vancouver, putting Montreal in a strong position
regarding access to housing.
Cox says one factor behind this favourable situation is that Montreal has
not imposed unduly restrictive land use measures, which tend to create
artificial scarcities of land suited to housing or business development,
thereby pushing up housing costs in relation to income.
"Since housing is generally the top item in household spending,
Montreal's relatively affordable real estate market makes the city
increasingly attractive for businesses and for households that aim to own the
place they live," the U.S.-based expert noted.
Good roads are key to good transportation
With the highest expressway density among urban areas of more than a
million people in Canada and the U.S., Montreal already has a highly
competitive transportation infrastructure.
Cox considers, however, that more roads are needed to improve connections
between shores in the Montreal area and to offer alternatives to Metropolitan
Boulevard. Accordingly, he favours completion of Highway 30 and the Highway 25
bridge. He also supports the recommendation made in 2003 by the Nicolet
Commission to build a new bridge to the South Shore.
With respect to public transit, Cox urges decision-makers to show
realism.
"Public transit has very little chance of reducing automobile use or of
attracting a large share of demand for the great majority of trips that do not
begin or end in downtown Montreal," he says. "In recent decades, no major
urban area in the developed world has managed to reduce the share of cars in
the transportation mix by more than 2%."
He recommends new investments in public transit only where they can
reduce travel time at less cost to government than the alternatives.
Wendell Cox is an independent consultant who has worked with the United
States Department of Transportation. He has chaired the American Public
Transit Association's planning and policy committee and has been a member of
the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and of the Amtrak Reform
Council. His study, titled Housing and Transportation in Montreal: How
suburbanization is improving the region's competitiveness, is available at
www.iedm.org.
For further information: and interview requests : Patrick Leblanc,
Director of communications, Montreal Economic Institute, (514) 273-0969
(office), (514) 571-6400 (cell), pleblanc@iedm.org
I guess that explains why our population growth far exceeds theirs.
MONTREAL, June 20 /CNW Telbec/ - A study released today shows that the
Montreal area's competitive position is improving compared to other urban
centres.
"Montreal's superior policies on land use and transportation
infrastructure give it an added advantage over competitors that have taken a
wrong turn," says urban growth expert Wendell Cox, head of the specialized
research firm Demographia and author of a study prepared for the Montreal
Economic Institute.
Cox says the Montreal area - in contrast to cities including Toronto and
Vancouver - can congratulate itself on having steered away from
anti-suburbanization measures such as limiting the growth of the metropolitan
area or blocking expressway construction. Such measures undermine people's
access to housing and hold back their mobility, he states.
Improved housing access
Montreal's "median multiple" (median house price divided by median
household income) has been relatively stable, standing at 3.5. This compares
to 4.4 in Toronto and 6.6 in Vancouver, putting Montreal in a strong position
regarding access to housing.
Cox says one factor behind this favourable situation is that Montreal has
not imposed unduly restrictive land use measures, which tend to create
artificial scarcities of land suited to housing or business development,
thereby pushing up housing costs in relation to income.
"Since housing is generally the top item in household spending,
Montreal's relatively affordable real estate market makes the city
increasingly attractive for businesses and for households that aim to own the
place they live," the U.S.-based expert noted.
Good roads are key to good transportation
With the highest expressway density among urban areas of more than a
million people in Canada and the U.S., Montreal already has a highly
competitive transportation infrastructure.
Cox considers, however, that more roads are needed to improve connections
between shores in the Montreal area and to offer alternatives to Metropolitan
Boulevard. Accordingly, he favours completion of Highway 30 and the Highway 25
bridge. He also supports the recommendation made in 2003 by the Nicolet
Commission to build a new bridge to the South Shore.
With respect to public transit, Cox urges decision-makers to show
realism.
"Public transit has very little chance of reducing automobile use or of
attracting a large share of demand for the great majority of trips that do not
begin or end in downtown Montreal," he says. "In recent decades, no major
urban area in the developed world has managed to reduce the share of cars in
the transportation mix by more than 2%."
He recommends new investments in public transit only where they can
reduce travel time at less cost to government than the alternatives.
Wendell Cox is an independent consultant who has worked with the United
States Department of Transportation. He has chaired the American Public
Transit Association's planning and policy committee and has been a member of
the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and of the Amtrak Reform
Council. His study, titled Housing and Transportation in Montreal: How
suburbanization is improving the region's competitiveness, is available at
www.iedm.org.
For further information: and interview requests : Patrick Leblanc,
Director of communications, Montreal Economic Institute, (514) 273-0969
(office), (514) 571-6400 (cell), pleblanc@iedm.org
I guess that explains why our population growth far exceeds theirs.
