Transport committee  If you're looking at a project, we usually refer to the return on investment. From a purely operational point of view, when you're counting fares compared to what it costs to actually operate the system, it's what we call the RC ratio, the revenue to the cost. Right now, in Canada, on average, we're hovering at around 60%, as I mentioned.

Transport committee  No, we have not done any work on what that minimum threshold would be.

Transport committee  In the end, a responsibility is recognized and shared by the partners. The federal government cannot be dictating to municipalities the way they plan their cities. However, the federal government can ask that cities submit plans to support the investments they ask for infrastructure and public transit.

Transport committee  Ideally, yes, because you'd have predictable funding so you can plan your maintenance, plan your rolling stock renewal, plan the maintenance of your heavy infrastructure, and you're not continuously deferring it, and you're ensuring a smooth, efficient operation of the system.

Transport committee  That's difficult to say. I wouldn't want to speculate on it either.

Transport committee  Yes, that was my understanding.

Transport committee  It's the only one that comes to my mind, but we could probably follow up with you, if you like.

Transport committee  As part of the national transit framework, we see accountability as one of the important things. That would be a part of that, so the money being dedicated to it is spent according to objectives that are outlined and that there's follow-up and such after the fact that the expenditures were properly made and based on the public need.

Transport committee  I think you're very right, in that public transit and land use planning go hand in hand. Density is very important, generating not only transit trips, but trips within themselves. That being said, when investing or looking at higher-order transits, the association isn't proposing any one type of solution.

Transport committee  Hong Kong comes to mind; MTR is there. But it's very, very densely populated and the cost of ownership of a private automobile is disproportionate to what it is here.

Transport committee  At present, the proportion of revenues coming from fare boxes is approximately 60% in Canada. This percentage is one of the highest among the OECD countries; in some cases, that percentage goes as high as 80%. Public transit networks use a number of initiatives to generate revenues.

Transport committee  One of the core elements of Transit Vision 2040, which is the very first strategic direction of the vision, is the development of an overarching and comprehensive Canadian transit policy framework. All orders of government should work together in developing a framework of national transit policies that are integrated and mutually supportive.