What is The Transit Brief?
The Transit Brief is an independent Canadian media project dedicated to in-depth analysis of public transit, infrastructure policy, and the forces shaping transportation in our cities. Founded and principally written by Reece Martin—a commentator featured in media across the country, including Macleans, The Globe and Mail, and the Toronto Star, as well as the creator behind the RMTransit YouTube channel—The Transit Brief bridges the gap between transit planning, global infrastructure realities, and an optimistic future rife with clean mobility solutions.
The Brief looks at transit through a dual lens: we are deeply invested in a vibrant, livable future for Canadian cities, while maintaining a disciplined view of procurement, project execution, and global best practices. Our mission is to provide rigorous analysis of Canada’s major transit expansions while placing them firmly in a global context.
Grounded in Canada, Informed by the World
Too often, a transit solution deemed “impossible” in Montreal or Vancouver simultaneously serves millions of people a day on the other side of the globe. The Transit Brief offers a view into a truly global possibility space, slicing through the path dependency and mediocrity that are too often the default in Canadian cities. We take international case studies—from Santiago to Seoul and Paris—and pull out actionable lessons that can be applied at home in Canada and across the world.
We believe that excellent transit is not just a nicety for urbanists, but a fundamental foundation for long-term, sustainable economic prosperity and quality of life.
Critical but Constructive
We aim to provide both pointed critique where needed and celebration of policy and project wins, recognizing the strong state of much of our public transport today. While we will not hesitate to rake a government body over the coals for excessive bureaucracy or poor planning, we fundamentally take a positive view. We view transit’s problems as largely solvable and remain entirely solutions-oriented—championing learning from elsewhere and, where appropriate, trying entirely new things. Our goal is building plentiful, high-quality transit that can enrich our communities over the long run.
Media Availability and Speaking
Reece is available to speak at events and to media, either remotely or in person. Please reach out at reece@thetransitbrief.net for more information.
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