The Ontario Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Municipal Grant Program: A Program to Encourage Cycling, Walking, Transit, and Trip Reduction provides financial assistance to Ontario municipalities for the development and implementation of TDM plans, programs, and services that promote alternatives to driving alone such as cycling, walking, transit, or carpooling.
The TDM Grant Program will support projects that produce the kinds of programs, education, awareness, and practical tools that will help make sustainable transportation a reality in Ontario.
Initiatives funded through the grant program should do one or more of the following:
- Reduce the number of trips being made, especially during peak hours, through the use of incentives and disincentives
- Reduce daily vehicle kilometres traveled within a specific geographic area
- Promote transit and provide incentives to increase transit ridership
- Promote TDM best practices and build understanding of the benefits of TDM
The maximum funding available per project is $50,000. Funding will only be available for one-year projects. Matching funds will be required and can include some in-kind contributions.
The application process is competitive, and not all initiatives will receive funding support. The TDM program seeks to support a range of sizes and types of initiatives across Ontario, and communities of all sizes are encouraged to apply.
The TDM Grant Program is open to all Ontario municipalities. Municipalities are encouraged to work collaboratively with local stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, transportation management associations, businesses, and schools to deliver services focusing on one or more of the priority areas identified in the application guidelines and requirements.
For more information on the grant program, contact the Ministrys Passenger and Municipal Policy Office:
416-585-7289 or 1-866-626-6664 (toll free)
TDMMunicipalGrantProgram@ontario.ca
What is TDM?
Transportation demand management (TDM) refers to a variety of strategies to reduce congestion, reduce reliance on the single-occupant vehicle, and achieve a more sustainable transportation system.
TDM is a multi-modal approach to managing transportation demand by making the most of our current infrastructure, by supporting cycling, walking, transit, and carpooling so that they are viable alternatives to driving alone, and by introducing other incentives and disincentives to reduce reliance on the single-occupant vehicle. TDM works to change how, when, where, and why people travel.
TDM focuses on managing the demand for transportation, rather than simply increasing the supply of highway and transit services and infrastructure. TDM initiatives involve education, promotion, and outreach and providing various incentives and disincentives to help travelers choose alternatives that have less impact on the environment and the transportation system.
TDM strategies are complementary to transit and highway infrastructure investments, helping to make better use of the transportation infrastructure and reducing the demand for new infrastructure.
TDM strategies have multiple benefits including:
- Increased transit ridership
- Improved health through active transportation such as cycling or walking
- More pedestrian-, cycling-, and transit-oriented neighbourhoods and developments
- Reduced traffic congestion
- Energy conservation through reduced reliance on cars and oil
- Reduced pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
- Improved mobility for non-drivers
- Cost savings through reduced need for highway and parking infrastructure improvements
- A more sustainable transportation system
