I will start with the easier part.
The main problem is our inability to control rurbanization. Between 1996 and today, the use of public transit has increased by about 20% to 25% in the Montreal region, depending on the area. However, the number of cars has increased more rapidly, leading to this congestion. Not to mention road work that must be done because infrastructure is aging. That will contribute to the congestion over the next 10 to 15 years. That's the easier answer.
Here's my second answer. There are indeed many people—for instance, mayors and MPs—in the same geographic area who must make decisions at the same time, based on similar thinking. When I started working for AMT, in 1996, there were 105 mayors and towns in my region. When planning is being done, the most important thing is to rally people. All those people must be brought aboard so as to share a certain number of goals. We must make them realize that public transit is a win/win situation, for them and society. Energy and work are needed to bring them on board in order to work together. Generally speaking, people are intelligent and they do come aboard.
From 1982 to 1996, that was the situation in public transit. We worked towards that goal, simply by redeveloping services and using common sense. At first, there was no need for big investments: our focus was on park-and-ride lots, reserved lanes and the reintroduction of suburban trains. That's the second element of the answer.
In terms of structure, there are too many transit authorities and organizations. The same goes for all major Canadian cities. Their numbers should be reduced. There are not just advantages to merging; there are sometimes many drawbacks.
What we need to do is find the governance mode that makes people work together around shared objectives, with set targets and indicators. That's the stick. The carrot is the promise of money if that approach works.
If we take all that into consideration, we will be able to change course by influencing the three levels of government.