What is Transportation Infrastructure?

Transport or transportation is the movement of people, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles and operations. Transport is important because it enables trade between persons, which is essential for the development of civilizations.

Transport infrastructure consists of the fixed installations including roads, railways, airways, waterways and canals and terminals such as airports, railway stations, bus stations and seaports.

Statistics

  • Nearly 4.8% of Ontario’s population was employed in transportation and transportation related industries in 2018.
  • About 74% of Ontario-US trade travels by road (measured by merchandise value).
  • Canada’s busiest border crossings are in Ontario. The Windsor/Ambassador, Fort Erie.Niagara Falls and Sarnia crossings handle 59% of Ontario-US road trade (measured by merchandise value).
  • In 2016, Ontario exported 11.7 million tonnes of cargo and imported approximately 8.0 million tonnes by rail.
  • Ontario has 65 conventional transit systems, with 8,105 transit vehicles serving 10.6 million people.


Ontario Modes of Transportation



Interesting Facts

  • The Ministry of Transportation which turned 100 in 2016, was originally called “The Department of Public Highways of Ontario,” and was created on January 17, 1916. Findlay G. MacDiarmid was the first Minister of Transportation.
  • In 1917, Ontario assumed responsibility of its first provincial highway.
  • In 1920, there were 2,937 kilometres of provincial highway in Ontario. Today, there are over 16,900 kilometres of provincial highway. Placed end-to-end, Ontario’s highways would span Canada twice.
  • In 1967, GO Transit began operations.
  • In 2013, Ontario recorded the second-lowest drinking and driving fatality rate among all jurisdictions in North America.
  • On January 1, 2016, Ontario became the first of Canada’s provinces and territories to allow testing of automated vehicles on its roads.