Room: Mississauga
Sponsor(s)
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Session Description
Innovation in public transit is no longer optional—it’s essential. But what does it take to move from a loose vision to an actionable strategy? In this exclusive fireside chat, Bem Case, Executive Director, Innovation and Sustainability Group, Toronto Transit Commission, will sit down with dedicated innovation leaders from six of the largest transit agencies to explore how they are shaping the future of mobility.
From early-stage challenges to breakthrough successes, panelists will share insights on:
o Building an innovation culture within a public agency
o Securing buy-in from leadership and frontline staff
o Funding and partnership models that accelerate progress
o The biggest lessons learned (and what theyÂ’d do differently)
o WhatÂ’s next in transit innovation
Whether your agency is leading the charge or just starting out, this session will provide practical takeaways, strategic inspiration, and candid discussions on whatÂ’s really possible. Bring your questions and join the conversation!
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s)
Scott Gillner – Brampton Transit
Scott Gillner is the Manager, Sustainability & Innovation with Brampton Transit at the City of Brampton. In his 13th year with Brampton Transit he supports the Zero Emission Mobility, Business Improvements, and Contract Management teams. Scott continues to champion the transition to a zero-emission transit fleet for as early as 2041.
With over 33 yearsÂ’ experience in municipal government transit and traffic sectors, Scott has supported OPTA through his participation in various task forces and committees, including the Maintenance Committee, Procurement Committee, and as serving for over 3 years as Vice Chair, Operations & Maintenance of the OPTA ZEB Committee. Scott currently serves as Chair of the CUTA ZEB Committee, and is a member of CUTRICÂ’s Zero Emissions Bus Technologies & Energy Solutions Committee (ZEBTEC), and APTA’s Zero Emission Fleet Committee. Scott is also a Technical Committee member of the Advanced Public Transit Systems (APTS) for ITS Canada.
Igor Zaslavsky – York Region Transit
Igor Zaslavsky, Manager, Digital Transit, has worked for over 19 years in various roles in the Digital Transit group as part of Public Works department in York Region.
As a Manager of Digital Transit group, he is responsible for research, design and implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), management of system maintenance contracts as well as operations, maintenance and support for the existing Transit ITS programs.
Igor has led the successful implementation of various Intelligent Transportation Systems projects for York Region Transit.
Some of those major projects include Computer Aided Dispatch and Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) systems, Mobility On Request platform, scheduling and trip planning applications, interactive voice response (IVR) systems, security camera systems, distributed antenna systems, collision avoidance and pedestrian warning system, passenger information displays, etc.
He has over 24 years of experience with Information Technology and Intelligent Transportation Systems industry, previously working at the Regional Municipality of York, Nortel Networks and CIBC bank
Safina Khimani – Metrolinx
Ali Sabourin – Hamilton Street Railway
Bem Case – Toronto Transit Commission
With over 20+ years at Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Bem has held roles that span the organization, including: maintenance, engineering, risk management, intergovernmental relations, and capital program delivery.
Currently, Bem is Executive Director of TTCÂ’s Innovation and Sustainability Program, the goal of which is to seek out and incubate the ideas we need now in order to prepare for the future, and to maximize the benefits TTCÂ’s investments for Torontonians and the global environment. That means more creative solutions available sooner to better serve our customers, reduce our environmental impact and make our operations more resilient to the effects of climate change.
Through this program, Bem is directly accountable for the stewardship of a 15-year, $10+ billion portfolio of capital programs, including delivery of TTCÂ’s vehicle procurements, overhauls, and electrification infrastructure.
Moderator(s)
Bem Case – Toronto Transit Commission