SGI’s Inaugural Sustainable Transportation Roundtable on the Future of Urban Mobility

This April, interdisciplinary experts came together at McGill Desautels for the Sustainable Growth Initiative (SGI)’s inaugural Sustainable Transportation Roundtable on the Future of Urban Mobility. Sponsored by Alstom, the event featured discussions on reducing fossil fuel dependence, with electric vehicles highlighted as a potential solution.

Speakers included Kevin Manaugh, Head of the Office of Sustainable Mobility at SGI, who emphasized the need for a unified approach to enhance cycling, walking, and public transportation. “The term ‘improve’ can mean the creation of more green space to an urban planner, though to an engineer it means allowing for more vehicles flowing in uncongested traffic. We need to establish a vocabulary of change.”

Peter Norton, keynote speaker and Associate Professor at the University of Virginia, criticized car-centric urban planning, advocating for the recovery of pedestrian and cyclist rights. The event also included 'Lightning Talks' by graduate students and panels on transportation education, street design, and regional rail. Discussions underscored the importance of collaboration and sustainable practices in urban planning among scholars, industry leaders, and policymakers.