October 1, 2026  |  Committee Meetings, Road Safety Summit, and Sponsors’ Networking Reception

Room: Markham Ballroom

Topic: Fireside Chat: Training Expert Panel – How Training Has Evolved and Where It’s Headed
  • Moderator:
    • Karen Lusk, Supervisor Safety and Training, Transportation Operations – York Region Transit
  • Panelists:
    • Marc Richer, Manager, Transit Training and Development – OC Transpo
    • Additional panelists – To be confirmed
Topic: Fitness for Duty Best Practices – Exploring Processes and Challenges
  • Moderator:
    • Sabrina Pasian, Chief Safety Officer – OC Transpo
  • Panelists:
    • Matt Hopkins, Executive Director – People, Toronto Transit Commission (Invited)
    • Additional panelists – To be confirmed
Topic: CVOR Program Evolution: Trends, Enhancements, and the Road Ahead

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) will share insights into planned enhancements to the CVOR Program and highlight industry trends that are influencing the program’s future state and ongoing evolution.

  • Speakers:
    • Lisa Venier, Sr. Manager, Carrier Sanctions and Investigations Office — houses the Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration (CVOR) program – MTO
    • Hala Mair, Senior Policy Advisor, Carrier Sanctions and Investigations Office – MTO
Topic: Standing Item: Recent Serious Transit Bus Collisions

Recommendation 58 of the Coroner’s InquestCUTA and the OPTA should add recent serious transit bus collisions as a standing item at meetings with a view to sharing lessons learned and developing best practices, using a safe systems approach.

Location: York Region Transit (YRT) Orlando Garage

York Region Transit (YRT) Orlando Garage Tech Tour. Due to parking limitations, shuttle buses will leave the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites at 9:15 am.

Agenda

Topic: Lithium-Ion 12V Starter Battery Replacements

Speakers:

  • Naeem Farooqi, CEO & Co-Founder – FleetZero
  • Al Pritchard, Fleet Manager – York Region Transit
Topic: Bus Pulse – The Integrated Hub for Fleet Managers

Speakers:

  • Al Pritchard, Fleet Manager – York Region Transit
  • Naeem Farooqi, CEO & Co-Founder – FleetZero

Location: York Region Transit (YRT) Orlando Garage

Due to parking limitations, shuttle buses will leave the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites at 9:15 am.

Agenda

  • Mobile Data Terminals, Distracted Driving, and Transit Exemption?
  • Collection and Privacy of Demographic Data in Paratransit Applications
  • Demand vs Budget – Roundtable

 

Room: Markham Ballroom

Fireside Chat: Transit Safety Panel – Building a Strong Safety Culture

This session will feature senior safety officers sharing perspectives on the most significant safety initiatives currently confronting transit systems and the measures being implemented to address them. Participants will gain insight into the wide range of issues affecting agencies, from sharing tips on protecting vulnerable road users to operational risks and broader community concerns.

  • Moderator: TDB
  • Speakers:
    • Sabrina Pasian, Chief Safety Officer – OC Transpo
    • Farah Kassam, Vice President, Safety – Metrolinx (Invited)
    • Betty Hasserjian, Chief Safety Officer – Toronto Transit Commission (Invited)
Safety 2.0 – Shaping Safety Culture Beyond the Blame Game
  • Speakers:
    • Sabrina Pasian, Chief Safety Officer – OC Transpo
    • Laurie Krahl, Director, Bus Safety – Metrolinx
The Road to Safer Transit – Ideas for Safety Communication Campaigns
  • Speakers:
    • Tricia Wretham, Manager (A), Communications, Community Engagement and Marketing – York Region Transit
    • Melanie Clarke, Senior Project Manager, Transit Marketing – OC Transpo
Ontario Traffic Council – Forging a Closer Partnership between Transit and Roads
  • Speakers:
    • Geoff Wilkinson, Executive Director – Ontario Traffic Council
      Geoff Wilkinson is the Executive Director of the Ontario Traffic Council, a leading voice in multimodal transportation, mobility, and road safety across Ontario. He serves as Co-Chair of the Ontario Vision Zero Alliance and recently retired from his role as a Director of the Durham Kids’ Safety Village. Geoff has led numerous special projects for the OTC, including the revision of Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18 for the Ministry of Transportation, in collaboration with WSP; the development of the Protected Intersection Guide, also with WSP; and the Vision Zero Guide, with CIMA+. He is currently leading a Transportation Equity Guidance project with HDR and a BXO pilot project with McMaster University. An experienced association executive, Geoff works closely with municipal and provincial government representatives, transportation consultants, and industry suppliers. He and his wife, Ann, recently moved from the Greater Toronto Area to rural Eastern Ontario, where he has gained a new perspective on mobility and transportation
  • The session will focus on the relationship between transportation planning, engineering, and road safety and how OTC and OPTA can work together to tackle common issues, challenges, and opportunities.

Shuttle buses will depart from the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites at 1:30pm.

Location: Dave & Buster’s Vaughan (120 Interchange Wy, Vaughan, ON)

Agenda

Multi Agency Service Coordination – Challenges and Successes

With customer convenience in mind, Transit agencies across Ontario have been regularly coordinating services, schedules, and operations to create an integrated and expanded transit network. A history of legacy coordination remains through informal partnership, while others have evolved into integrated service arrangements.

Join us at OPTA’s Planning & Scheduling Fall Meetup for a roundtable discussion on transit service coordination. Share your organization’s experience, discuss challenges and lessons learned, and explore successful coordination practices that can help improve connectivity and customer experience across the province.

    • Speaker: Bernard Au, Manager, Rail Service Design (Operations) – Metrolinx
Call for Studio Projects – TMU

OPTA Member Victor Copetti of Kingston Transit will be running an undergraduate studio project for TMU’s School of Urban and Regional Planning in both the fall 2026 and winter 2027 semesters. He is looking to bring project ideas and potential clients to the class, providing students with the opportunity to work on real-world projects. The only requirements for project suggestions are:

1. It must be transit, transportation, or environmental related (given that those are Victor’s areas of expertise, though it can bleed into other planning disciplines); and,

2. It must be the type of project you would expect a planner or planning team to have the necessary skillset to complete.

This is a great opportunity to bring forward innovative project ideas and connect with emerging talent through the studio.

  • Speaker: Victor Copetti, Transit Service Project Manager, City of Kingston
Defining Practical KPI’s for All Stages of Transit Operations Planning and Scheduling
  • Speaker: Michel Courval, Partner, Senior Project Director – CSCHED
From Operations to Insights: How Reporting Drives Better Planning Decisions

In this session, we’ll explore how transit agencies can use operational data to inform strategic planning. We’ll share real-world examples of how better insights drive smarter planning decisions.

  • Speaker: Jon MacMull, Senior Account-Based Marketing Manager, Swiftly
Planning for Technology – How Can We Become More Nimble With Advancements In Technology And AI
  • Speaker: Tamas Hertel, Manager, Service Planning – York Region Transit
How To Squeeze Water Out of Rocks – Finding Resources to Grow Services in a Time of Fiscal Constraints
  • Speaker: Tamas Hertel, Manager, Service Planning – York Region Transit
  • Additional speakers to be confirmed

Shuttle buses will depart from the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites at 5:30pm.

  • The evening will feature the Sponsors’ Networking Reception and Dinner at Dave and Buster’s (120 Interchange Wy, Vaughan, ON), providing members and partners with an opportunity to connect in a relaxed setting.

October 2, 2026 | Committee Meetings and Policy Forum

Room: Markham Ballroom

Keynote Speaker: Cynthia Davis, CEO of Lakeridge Health (Invited)

The Link Between Mobility and Health: Exploring how healthcare and transit can unite around a common advocacy agenda

  • Equitable access to reliable transportation is fundamental to healthy, connected communities. As a longstanding advocate for recognizing transit as a key social determinant of health, DRT continues to champion the role of mobility in connecting people to essential services, including healthcare.
  • Join Cynthia Davis, CEO of Lakeridge Health, as we explore how stronger collaboration between the transit and healthcare sectors can improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and support older adults in aging in place. This discussion will examine the importance of a shared advocacy agenda to build more connected, inclusive, and supportive communities where residents can live independently and access the service they need.

Equitable access to reliable transportation is fundamental to healthy, connected communities. As a longstanding advocate for recognizing transit as a key social determinant of health, DRT continues to champion the role of mobility in connecting people to essential services, including healthcare.

Join Cynthia Davis, CEO of Lakeridge Health, as we explore how stronger collaboration between the transit and healthcare sectors can improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and support older adults in aging in place. This discussion will examine the importance of a shared advocacy agenda to build more connected, inclusive, and supportive communities where residents can live independently and access the service they need.

Room: Markham Ballroom

Speaker: David Cooper, Principle of Leading Mobility

  • David Cooper, Principal of Leading Mobility and a longtime friend of OPTA, has been a leading voice in transit safety and security. His work on TCRP Synthesis 179: The Impacts of and Response to Drug Use on Transit or of TCRP Synthesis 179: The Impacts of and Response to Drug Use on Transit, has highlighted the growing challenges of drug use on transit systems and its impact on customer and employee safety across North America. For the first time, David will bring a Canadian lens to his TCRP study.
  • The report examines the impacts of drug use on transit systems and the safety of customers and staff. It identifies three key themes emerging from the program responses of five participating transit agencies in the United States: Legislative and Enforcement-Led Measures, Station Design and Operations, and Outreach and Harm Reduction.
  • At the 2026 Fall Policy Forum, David will share a Canadian perspective on this important issue, bringing his leading-edge research, experience, and insights to Ontario’s transit community as agencies continue to navigate evolving safety and security challenges.

Room: Markham Ballroom

Moderator: Kelly Paleczny, General Manager – London Transit Commission

Speakers:

  • Dershil Shah, Senior Policy Advisor with AMO – Invited to speak to the municipal finance and infrastructure context, and upcoming research on the state of infrastructure and transit assets across Ontario.
    Dershil Shah is a Senior Advisor at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), where he leads policy work on infrastructure, transportation, and the environment to inform provincial policy and advocate for the issues that matter most to Ontario’s local communities. Before joining AMO, Dershil spent a decade at UK’s HM Treasury department, most recently leading development of the government’s flagship 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and sponsoring the National Infrastructure Commission. His earlier Treasury roles spanned COVID-19 emergency spending oversight, national tax and social insurance policy, and the management and sale of over £30 billion in government financial assets.
  • Kim Earls, Executive Director, Rural Ontario Institute – Invited to speak on the connection between economic development and rural mobility.

Room: Markham Ballroom

Moderator:

  • Christopher Norris, General Manager, Maintenance – Durham Region Transit
Topic: Who owns your fares and revenue strategy?

If you’re not so sure anymore, you’re not alone! Traditionally stable sources of transit revenue and ridership are increasingly volatile post-pandemic. Many transit agencies need to diversify ridership and associated revenues to both maintain and invest in services. At the same time agencies are faced with growing calls to offer free transit solutions. This session will explore the pressures facing transit agencies today, as well as quick wins and new ideas that can help you build a multi-year strategy that will help riders and decision-makers see the value of fair transit fares and other revenue streams. OPTA members – we want you! This session will be used to gauge interest in starting a dedicated “Fares and Revenue” Committee / Working Group. The goal is to share strategies, tools, and evaluations of fares and revenue programs to strengthen the fiscal resiliency of members.

Speakers:

  • Kevan Marshall, Manager, Transit Development – Grand River Transit (Region of Waterloo)
    Kevan Marshall is the Manager of Transit Development at the Region of Waterloo. He is part of the Transit Services department, responsible for the Region’s bus and light rail transit system (Grand River Transit). Kevan has worked on integrated sustainable transportation planning, policy development, infrastructure, and program portfolios in various roles at the Region of Waterloo since 2012 – including the Grand River Transit Business Plan, Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass) programs, and workplace transit pass program, TravelWise. Kevan received the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s Young Leaders Award in 2023.
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevan-marshall-34461735/
    KMarshall@regionofwaterloo.ca
  • Ian Semple, Director, Transportation & Transit Services – Kingston Transit (Invited)
Topic: One Fare

Speaker:

  • Kanivanan Chinniah, Vice President, Planning, Metrolinx

Room: Butternut/Holly

Introduction by Vice Chair Omar Rasheed (9:30 am – 9:45 am)
  • Update on 310T Working Group
  • Commitment to holding meetings monthly
  • Nomination for Business Member Vice Chair
OPTA 310T Apprentice Working Group Report (9:45 am – 10:15 am)
  • Speaker: Michael Barnett, Deputy Registrar and Chief Operating Officer – Skilled Trades Ontario
What to Expect When the Bill Arrives – Impacts of Tariffs on Transit Supply Chains (10:15 am – 10:45 am)
  • Moderator: Simon Minelli, Senior Manager, Transit Procurement Initiative – Metrolinx
  • Speaker:
    • Chad Sadowy, Regional Sales Manager – Canada – NewFlyer
    • Michael Coote, Regional Sales Manager – NovaBus
    • Christos Kritsidimas, Vice President Legal, Public Affairs and External Communications – NovaBus
Hydrogen Site Assessment – MiWay (10:45 am – 11:15 am)
  • Speakers:
    • Omar Rasheed, Manager, Equipment Training, Transit, MiWay
    • Dang Le, Project Leader, ZEB, MiWay
Roundtable Discussion (11:15 am – 12:00pm)
  • Input for ZEB User Conference at OTE 2027
  • Next Steps with Transport Canada – Camera Monitoring Systems

 

Room: Maple Room

Topic: Navigating the awkward middle – Growing the GRT brand through change
  • As GRT expands, its brand is maturing alongside a rapidly changing, multi-modal transit network. This session explores how GRT has evolved its communications, rider information and customer experience approach through key milestones such as the introduction of ION light rail, related bus network changes, and the ongoing alignment of digital and physical touchpoints.
  • The presentation will share practical lessons for transit agencies managing growth: maintaining a clear, consistent brand across new services and communication channels; designing accessible information for both frequent and occasional riders; and using customer feedback, complaints and operational data to inform communications planning.
    • Speakers:
      • Pat Morabito, Manager – Communications and Community Engagement, Transportation Services – Grand River Transit (GRT)
      • Melissa Murray, Supervisor of Marketing and Communications – GRT
      • Renee Fonte, Assistant Manager, Customer Experience – GRT
Topic: Building Confidence and Independence: The Evolution of Wheel-Trans Travel Training
  • Wheel-Trans continues to innovate and enhance its travel training program, empowering customers to navigate public transit safely, confidently, and independently. This presentation will highlight the program’s progress to date, showcase key achievements, and outline strategic goals for 2026/2027. The second part of the presentation will focus on the soft skills and customer-focused approaches employed by the Travel Training team to deliver effective training sessions that foster customer confidence, encourage independent travel, and contribute to increased trip diversion from specialized transit services to the conventional transit network.
      • Speaker: Arlen Orellana, Travel Specialist, Wheel-Trans – Toronto Transit Commission
Topic: Public Art, Public Transit: The Story Behind Barrie’s Vision for Civic Pride at Bus Stops
  • The “Art on Transit” program is a collaborative public art initiative run by the Barrie Public Art Committee in partnership with Barrie Transit. The project brings unique digital artworks to high-profile bus shelters to inject vibrancy into the community and build civic pride.
    Program Details:
    • The Inspiration: The featured artworks are completely inspired by an original poem titled “unexpected destinations” written by Barrie’s Poet Laureate, Tyneisha Thomas.
    • The Scale: The initiative features five unique digital artworks installed across 10 prominent bus shelters, ensuring representation in all ten city wards.
    • Local Talent: The program showcases digital designs explicitly selected from local and Ontario-based visual artists, including Brad MacMillan, Laura Kay Keeling, Marne Grahlman, Petra Victoria, and Reesha Morar.
    • Lifespan: The installations are printed on specialized vinyl wraps and are considered temporary, with an expected lifespan of up to five years.
      • Speaker: Jason Zimmerman, Manager of Transit Operations, Barrie Transit
Topic: Marketing Campaign Effectiveness – How to Avoid Marketing Fatigue

Speakers:

  • Melanie Clarke, Senior Project Manager, Transit Marketing – OC Transpo
  • Melissa Murray, Supervisor of Marketing and Communications – GRT

October 1 – 2, 2026 | Road Safety Summit, Policy Forum, and Committee Meetings
Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre & Spa
8500 Warden Ave., Markham, ON L6G 1A5

Register for the Fall Member Meet-Up