The commute – by any mode – to the University of Guelph-Humber is one of the most difficult in the GTA, say experts
It’s 8:00 a.m., and students are arriving for their first class of the day at the University of Guelph-Humber. The air is crisp and the sun is bright. What could be a peaceful morning and start to the day is interrupted by the overwhelming sound of power tools drilling into the street and machinery running. Buses and cars in traffic are backed up, and sidewalks are unwalkable. The excessive construction on Highway 27 and Humberline Road on the corner of the Guelph-Humber campus, and the copious traffic limits the accessibility of the school to commuters who drive or take public transportation.
Even without what seems like constant construction, the school is not easily accessible by all modes of transportation according to students, transit operators, experts and multiple studies.
According to StudentMoveTO, almost 60 per cent of post-secondary students rely on local and regional public transit to get to school. This means that almost two-thirds of students are impacted by accessibility issues involving transit.
Mobilizing Justice, a partnership that coordinates and researches Canada’s transportation and accessibility has created a tool to measure the level of access certain destinations such as schools and jobs have. Out of a range of 0.00 to 1.00, Guelph-Humber has an access score of 0.32. Compared to other universities near Toronto, the access score of the University of Toronto St. George campus is 0.80, the University of Toronto Mississauga is 0.20 and York University is 0.47.
Matan Singer, research coordinator for Mobilizing Justice and the University of Toronto, says that adequate transportation and education are both basic human rights. He also says, “all individuals should enjoy at least a minimum level of access to these services. Having good transport accessibility means that it is easier for people to reach universities, allowing them to improve their life circumstances.”
Interestingly, transit operators, offer a unique perspective on navigating traffic. Jorge Rego, a bus transit operator for the City of Mississauga said that “there’s been a huge increase” in the volume of riders in recent years. He believes this is a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, “post Covid we have a 13 per cent rise in ridership,” which was confirmed by the City of Mississauga in 2023.
For those who drive to school, it’s a similar story. Congested highways and delayed drive times result in a frustrating commute for the average student. According to the Ministry of Transportation, highway 401 is by far the busiest highway in Canada. Unfortunately for driving commuters, the highway has also been crowned the busiest freeway in North America. Specifically, the stretch which passes through Toronto, which happens to be a common route for Guelph-Humber commuters. Anisa Virdo, a third-year student says her morning commute from Mississauga to Etobicoke is “long and painful. I can’t stand the traffic, it’s so annoying.” The stop-and-go highway traffic paired with the local road closures and construction near campus results in a frustrating drive to school.
Busiest Commute Times on the 401 Headed to Toronto
The mornings and evenings on weekdays are by far the busiest times to commute towards Toronto.
1. Morning Rush from 8:00 m to 9:00 a.m.
2. Afternoon Rush 3:30 m to 4:30 p.m.
3. Evening Rush 5:00 m to 6:00 p.m.
According to tomtom
The current influx in traffic is due to the construction of the Humber College subway station. This has been ongoing for years and for some students during their entire tenure at Guelph-Humber. Metrolinx officials are “very confident” that the station will be open and running by the end of 2024, despite being originally set to have been opened last year. This will create a new avenue of transportation for students that does not congest the already busy roadways, as it is an underground track system. Singer says that the University of Toronto St.George and York University’s higher accessibility scores are directly linked to their on-campus subway access.
Some commuting students have concerns, however, about the new station. Alexis Persaud, a first-year early childhood education student is worried about the foot traffic the station will generate. “I wonder if this will lead to a bunch more people who don’t even go [to school] here around campus and the new lot there,” she says. Persaud takes a three-bus route from Brampton most days, but will occasionally take the family car when it’s available. She says that both methods of transportation are filled with construction and traffic.
Singer explains why having an accessible school is crucial:
Providing good accessibility using various transport modes can lower transportation costs and increase the transportation options that are available for students, faculty and staff who are experiencing low income, lack access to a car and people with disabilities. This means that a broader range of people can access the university, thus making it more equitable and inclusive.
The ‘walkability score’ provided by WalkScore is another tool to measure accessibility. This tool focuses on the walking aspect of transportation for those who live near the destination or who intend to walk around it. Guelph-Humber and the surrounding Etobicoke area have a walkability score of 57 out of 100, barely a pass. Students who live locally and walk to school for a portion of their full commute are faced with a lack of walkways and damaged sidewalks due to constant construction and poor urban planning.
Overall, Guelph-Humber’s accessibility issues won’t deter a larger portion of potential students as Singer says, but it will make the commute for its existing students a headache, taking more time out of their day.
