Setting the agenda for understanding and responding to the public transit needs of Canadian women

Details

Date: April 13 (Thursday)
Registration & Social: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM (MDT)
Luncheon & Presentation: 12:00 – 1:00  PM (MDT) 
Location: Faculty Club at the University of Alberta, Winspear Room
               11435 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G9
Cost: $35.00 ITE or APPI Member / $40 Non-ITE or APPI Member / $50 Late Registration (within 24 hours of event start)

About the Presentation

Gender has recently been emphasized as an issue to be featured on the agenda of sustainable and inclusive public transit planning practices. But, this knowledge mobilization study led by the University of Alberta researchers revealed that transport planning and design have paid little attention to gender. This can be attributed to a lack of gender-specific data, gender-neutral planning practices, and a lack of gender representation in the public transit workforce at all levels (from transit operators to senior leadership). With an absence of data collection practices designed to capture gender differences in public transit use and travel demand, little gender-specific insight can be generated. This is problematic as data are applied in several aspects of transit planning, such as developing service standards, fare policies, and business cases for major public transit projects. This presentation will focus on Canada’s gender data gap, specific to public transit but also more broadly related to transportation data collection practices, and its implications on transit planning, operations, and resource allocation. Lastly, action to be taken to close the gender data gap and build an evidence basis of how women use public transit will be discussed with emphasis placed on how we can put women at the heart of future public transit strategies.

About the Presenter

Dr. Emily Grisé is a forward-thinking transport researcher with specializations in the areas of transport & land use planning, customer satisfaction & loyalty with public transport, pedestrian & bicycle planning, travel behaviour of disadvantaged populations (seniors and people with disabilities) and public transport planning & operations. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Alberta and her work focuses on collaboration with several local and regional transport agencies to directly address issues of concern to key stakeholders. She is also frequently engaged in providing transport expertise in the private sector. The underlying goal of her research is to develop effective policies that contribute to a more livable and sustainable society.