Funding for up to 10 Knowledge Syntheses Grants on mobility and public transit were announced by the Honorable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Dr. Ted Hewitt, President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
The projects will focus on consolidating and reviewing existing research findings, knowledge and data to better understand transit issues at the community level, leading to better, more strategic infrastructure investments.
"Public transit allows Canadians to get where they need to go quickly, cheaply and efficiently. Now with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the changing transit needs of Canadian commuters is more important than ever,” said Minister McKenna. “This project with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council will give municipal leaders across Canada new information and tools so they can make smart decisions about public transportation infrastructure that will meet the needs of their communities today and well into the future."
Researchers will examine topics such as the social and economic implications of unequal access to public transit, including in rural communities, the environmental and land use considerations around integrated transit planning, and will identify the challenges for transit services to maintain public health and safety in a post-COVID-19 world. Summary reports of the research will be made available to the public to assist in developing future research agendas and support evidence-based decision-making.
SSHRC has opened a call for proposals to the Canadian research community. Applications are due by Dec. 17, 2020, and evidence briefs summarizing the findings and policy implications will be made available in Fall 2021.
"The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is very pleased to partner with Infrastructure Canada on this special initiative. The knowledge synthesis projects will leverage Canada's capital in social sciences and humanities research to address changing transit needs and services,” said Dr. Hewitt. “The resulting information in areas such as the impacts of COVID-19 and pressing transit, land use, urban planning and public health and safety questions will help transit users, planning authorities and communities throughout Canada."
Infrastructure Canada is providing C$300,000 (US$227,919) to SSHRC for up to 10 research grants that are each C$30,000 (US$22,791). SSHRC will commit up to C$25,000 (US$18,993) for the organization of a Knowledge Mobilization Forum in Fall 2021.
