Item - 2024.EX14.13

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council receive Councillor Paul Ainslie's report on the 130th Edition of the Good Roads’ Conference held April 21 to 24, 2024 for information.

 As the City of Toronto appointee to the Board of Directors of the Ontario Good Roads Association, I attended their annual conference in April 2024.

The conference delegates were able to hear from Mayor Olivia Chow, Premier Doug Ford, Provincial Opposition Party Leaders Marit Stiles, and Bonnie Crombie, as well as several Provincial Cabinet Ministers

The conference theme, "Connecting Global Change to Local Impacts and Solutions," allowed for the holding of over 100 study/technical seminars which reviewed topics critical to the future success of our transportation infrastructure. The topics which were covered included: Ontario's electricity future, harnessing the power of camera technology, innovations in infrastructure service delivery, and smart city innovations. These discussions provided valuable insights and tools which will influence positive change across Ontario communities.

I was able to participate in a Study Tour, which consisted of a bicycle tour by staff from the City of Toronto’s Transportation Department who showed us the evolution of our city’s cycling infrastructure. Over the course of three hours about 40 conference delegates from across Ontario (And two delegates from Australia!) participated in the tour.

I am honoured to announce my recent election as the 2nd Vice President of the Good Roads' Board of Directors. This new role allows me to play a more significant role in advocating for improved transportation infrastructure across Ontario. It has been well documented, Ontario's highways and roads, especially those in rural areas, are in dire need of investment and modernization. The Good Roads' Board is at the forefront of pushing for these crucial improvements, and I am eager to contribute my expertise and dedication to their goals and objectives.

The Executive Committee of the 2024/25 Good Roads’ Board of Directors:

- President – Antoine Boucher, Director of Public Works & Engineering, Municipality of East Ferris

- First Vice President – Cheryl Fort, Mayor, Township of Hornepayne

- Second Vice President – Paul Ainslie, Councillor, City of Toronto

- Third Vice President – Aakash Desai, Asset Manager and Deputy Treasurer, Township of Southgate

- Immediate Past President – John Parsons, City of London,

To learn more about Good Roads and the role they play in our daily lives, visit www.GoodRoads.ca