Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation Launches Canada 150 Campaign

The Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation (CTHF), in collaboration with the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA), has launched a Canada-wide campaign to recognize the important role of public transit in Canada’s growth and development, and to celebrate the contribution that public transit has made to the lives of Canadians in all provinces and territories.

“Since before confederation in 1867, public transit has shaped our neighbourhoods and communities. It has played a vital role in where we live, work, play and go to school,” said CTHF President Chris Prentice. Public transit is an important component of our history as a country, and the campaign had its first public viewing in the Canadian pavilion at the Global Public Transit Summit in Montreal last month.

The campaign consists of artwork and a series of graphic elements underlining the theme “Public Transit – Shaping Canadian Communities for 150 Years,” accompanied by six posters depicting the evolution of public transit through vehicle images from the 1860s to the 1960s. Campaign materials have been made available to transit systems and transit heritage groups across Canada for use in public areas such as transit shelters, inside and outside vehicles, on web sites and in social media channels, beginning on Canada Day and throughout the remainder of 2017. The six posters highlight the evolution of public transit technology from the horse-drawn omnibus, to horse-drawn streetcars, electric streetcars, motor buses, electric trolley buses and modern transit buses.

“Highlighting the role of public transit is critical to understanding how these modes of transportation have influenced the development of our communities and impacted the lives of Canadians through the access and mobility they offer,” notes Prentice. “As technology has evolved through subways, light rail and commuter rail in our largest cities – and through new autonomous and connected vehicle technology in the future – it is clear that public transit will continue to shape our communities for many years to come,” added Michael Roschlau, strategic adviser to the Foundation Board and former president & CEO of the Canadian Urban Transit Association.