Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility

06/18/2026

Making plans for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference? Arrive early to explore and experience Toronto on Sunday, Sept 13! Add on one of these Mobile Workshops to your registration.

MW02 - TOD: Taste-Oriented Development Along Line 5 Eglinton
MW03 - Pop-Up Possibilities: Activating Underutilized TTC Spaces
MW04 - St Lawrence: Preservation and New Life in Toronto’s Oldest Neighbourhood
PCMW01 - A Sunday Bicycle Ride in Toronto

Check out all the Mobile Workshops at mpactmobility.org/schedule. Note: You must be registered for the conference to attend mobile workshops. Limit 2 workshops per attendee. Separate fees apply—first come, first served!

06/17/2026

Scholarships for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference close in two weeks!

Apply by June 30: https://www.mpactmobility.org/blog/scholarships-for-mpactto26/

Scholarship Applications are now open for — Apply by June 30

There are 2 opportunities for scholarships:

>> General Scholarship – Prioritized to those working for or associated with community-based organizations or transit advocacy organizations. Provides free conference registration.

>> Mark J. Bassett Design Scholarship – For design-focused individuals in three categories: a student, an academic or educator, and a practitioner in the nonprofit or public sector. Provides free conference registration, one mobile workshop, hotel, and a travel stipend.

Learn more and get the links to apply in our blog post: https://www.mpactmobility.org/blog/scholarships-for-mpactto26/

06/15/2026

Looking to connect with others in the transit, land use and community development space? Want to chat about the climate resilient infrastructure and sustainability in transit?

Join the next Coffee Chat, hosted by the Mpact Innovators on June 26, 2-3 pm Central! Register at bit.ly/CoffeeChatJune2026

Coffee Chats are virtual hour-long sessions featuring cross-sector small group discussion with peers across the US and Canada. These are not “listen only, camera off” events. The idea is to meet others, share your ideas and hear how peers are thinking about and approaching common challenges.

In June, small groups will discuss:
- How can transit become more resilient to extreme weather events?
- How can the built environment better reflect structures from nature to be more climate-resilient?
- What's next for zero-emission vehicles?

Looking to brush up on the topic before the Coffee Chat? Check out the resources in our blog post: www.mpactmobility.org/blog/exploring-the-future-of-transit-funding-and-climate-resiliency/

06/12/2026

Start your 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference in Buffalo and we'll bring you to Toronto!

With this unique cross-border Mobile Workshop you'll get:
- a look at revitalization and transit-oriented development via Buffalo’s Metro Rail line expansion;
- lunch overlooking Niagara Falls, with a tour of Cave of the Winds;
- news from Metrolinx about plans for the Niagara Falls to Toronto corridor and Hamilton’s Light Rail alignment.

Arrive in Toronto steeped in Buffalo’s transformation and with a first-hand understanding of how transportation and land use planning differ in Ontario and a US legacy Rust Belt city.

Registration for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference, including Mobile Workshops, is now open! Secure your spot today – mpactmobility.org/registernow

06/11/2026

Showcase your company this September at Mpact Transit + Community, North America's top conference on mobility and transit-oriented development. Thanks to these sponsors and exhibitors who already are signed up to be there. Join them by June 30 to ensure full benefits – mpactmobility.org/sponsorexhibitor

The local hosts for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference are Metrolinx , Infrastructure Ontario , the City of Toronto and Toronto Transit Commission.

06/09/2026

During last week's National Steering Committee (NSC) meeting in Minneapolis, the NSC took an amazing tour of the American Indian Cultural Corridor along Franklin Avenue.

We heard from Mary LaGarde, Executive Director of the Minneapolis American Indian Center and learned about the recent renovation of this space. We learned the history of the corridor from Sam Olbekson, an architect and founder of Full Circle Indigenous Planning + Design, and Robert Lilligren, President and CEO of the Native American Community Development Institute - NACDI. Lilligren also is a member of the Metropolitan Council.

We then saw first hand some of the newer projects:
- The under-construction Native American Community Clinic (building new housing over a new clinic while the existing clinic stays open)
- The Indigenous Peoples Task Force's new Mikwanedun Aduisookon Center for Art and Wellness, a beautiful space built with climate-resilient earth block walls.
Thanks to Mike Neumann, Project Coordinator and Agroecology Coordinator at the Indigenous Peoples Task Force for sharing the project with us.

We also saw 2-way cycle tracks on 24th Avenue, learned about Little Earth and its unique history as a HUD site, saw Mino-Bimaadiziwin, a mixed-use fully-affordable development that also includes ground floor space for the Red Lake Nation Embassy. We heard about planned renovations to the Franklin Avenue LRT station from Allison Waukau, Tribal Liaison at the Metropolitan Council and Liz Morice, Project Coordinator at Metro Transit.

Thank you to all of the speakers mentioned above, to Angela Conley Hennepin County Commissioner District 4 for welcoming us to her district, and to Ryan Kelley for his support in organizing this tour!

06/05/2026

Welcome to Mpact Partner, Community Streetcar Coalition! 🚃 The Community Streetcar Coalition supports the advancement of streetcars as part of the effort to expand mobility options and build more livable communities.

We're grateful to the Community Streetcar Coalition, and to all Mpact Partners, for the experience and perspectives they bring to Mpact and the National Steering Committee.

06/04/2026

Earlier this week, Mpact’s National Steering Committee (NSC) met in Minneapolis to finalize sessions for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community conference in Toronto this September. The two days were super-productive and full.

Hennepin County Commissioner kicked off the meeting with an inspiring welcome. She emphasized the important connections between transit, civic life and public health. Metropolitan Council Chair, Robin Hutcheson, also kindly stopped by, sharing how her time on the NSC influenced the trajectory of her career. Huge thanks to these leaders for taking time to talk with us.

The NSC took an amazing tour of the American Indian Cultural Corridor along Franklin Avenue. They heard from American Indian leaders about the evolution of the corridor and efforts to preserve and convey identity and heritage in design and land use. NSC members also learned about Hennepin County’s multiple investments in the neighborhood and Metro Transit’s LRT station reconstruction.

Throughout, the NSC worked on confirming speakers and making final adjustments to sessions for this year’s conference. Get ready for a lot of learning and serious fun in Toronto! Registration is now open for – mpactmobility.org/registernow

A huge thank you to Mpact Partner, , and to their staff for hosting us. A special shoutout to NSC member, Ryan Kelley, for all his help in organizing this week, including the tour of the American Indian Cultural Corridor, and making the magic happen! And thanks to the , an Mpact Partner, and and NSC member, Michael Krantz.

05/28/2026

Registration is Open for the 2026 Mpact Transit + Community Conference in Toronto! ➡️ mpactmobility.org/registernow ⬅️

Conference registration covers 50+ sessions, plenaries and networking events over 4 days, including the Welcome Reception and Wednesday night's PK Slam, a signature Mpact event!

Registration also is open for more than 30 Mobile Workshops and Pre-Conference Events. Space is limited and separate fees apply. Mobile Workshop fees are set on a cost-recovery basis to cover expenses such as transportation, snacks, water and audio equipment.

Get the most out of Toronto! Your options for Mobile Workshops start on Sunday, September 13 and continue through Thursday, September 17. There's also an option to start your conference with a Mobile Workshop in Buffalo, NY! Browse all the details at mpactmobility.org/schedule

Note: Information about conference plenaries and sessions coming soon!

05/20/2026

TCRP Survey Collecting Responses through June 5 – Innovative Partnerships for Enhancing Rural Public Transportation

The Transit Cooperative Research Program - TCRP is conducting a synthesis study on the topic of innovative partnerships for enhancing rural public transportation. The research team is conducting a survey of rural transit agencies, state DOTs, and other rural transit professionals to gather information on their experiences with forming and sustaining partnerships to better deliver and meet the goals of rural public transportation.

Sound like you? Share how your organization has formed and maintained partnerships to enhance the provision of rural transit by June 5: