| Where: | Mode of Transport: | Type of Intervention: |
| North York, Ontario | Carpooling, Cycling | Smart Commute, Best Workplaces for Commuter |
Background
North York General Hospital (NYGH) is Canada’s leading community academic hospital. Located in North York, Ontario, NYGH offers a range of acute care, ambulatory and long-term care services across multiple sites.
NYGH’s busy General Site (4001 Leslie Street) is located at the intersection of two major highways – with a range of services, including one of the largest single-site obstetrical centres in Ontario and one of the busiest emergency departments in the Greater Toronto Area. NYGH is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and supporting the health of its community.
The Challenges
NYGH is currently experiencing challenges with limited parking availability, which affects patients, visitors, and staff. Building and maintaining additional parking would be costly.
Additionally, NYGH is developing two new buildings: (1) the New Patient Care Tower and (2) the Long-Term Care Home. This means that their existing parking garage will be replaced by the New Patient Care Tower, resulting in a shortfall of ~600 parking spots. Construction will also lead to increased congestion surrounding the hospital.
Goals and Program Impact
Through the Smart Commute program, the goal is to increase awareness and establish a sustainable commuting system for employees to utilize, in anticipation of the development of these new buildings. The goals of the Smart Commute program for NYGH include:
- Reducing parking pressure and improving affordability (e.g., reducing single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) driving and parking; Carpool drivers receiving financial pitches from their work colleagues to cover partial costs of gas and parking)
- Promoting and increasing multi-modal transportation trips (e.g., tracking and increasing the number of carpooling and cycling trips; providing Bike Share Toronto stations near the General Site and offering a 25% discount on annual memberships)
- Increasing NYGH’s ESG goals (e.g., supporting socializing and community, improving health through active transportation, reducing Scope 3 – GHG Emissions)
Since joining the Smart Commute program in 2024, the impacts of the Smart Commute program have resulted in:
100+ Employees
Joined the Smart Commute app to connect with colleagues for commuting.
20+ Carpooling Groups
Established at NYGH with support from pointA.
100+ Carpooling Trips
As a result, 100 Kg of GHG emissions reduced, and hundreds of dollars saved.
115+ Public Transit Trips
Logged by NYGH employees resulting in 480 Kg of GHG emissions reduced.
700+ Cycling Trips
This resulted in 1,800 Kg of GHG emissions reduced.
5 Bike Share Memberships
Employees have benefited from the 25% discount on the Bike Share Toronto annual memberships.
Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC)
NYGH is proud to be the first hospital in Canada to achieve the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) designation as of 2025. This prestigious recognition highlights their commitment to providing exceptional commuter benefits, promoting employee well-being, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and fostering positive impact within their community. To support sustainable commuting and enhance employee satisfaction, NYGH offers several noteworthy commuter benefits, including:
- Flexible work arrangements, including telework and a compressed work week. These options are provided where possible, which reduces commuting trips by more than 6%.
- A membership with a Transportation Management Association (TMA), joining the Smart Commute program, which assists employees in finding sustainable commuting options.
- Provide employees with access to the Smart Commute app (SmartCommute.ca), which supports carpooling opportunities, including ride matching and tracking.
- Providing secure bicycle parking at the General Site.
- On-site amenities (cafeteria, pharmacy) at the General Site reduce the need to drive away for errands.
- The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) assistance program gives employees peace of mind while they commute sustainably.
Next Steps
NYGH is committed to providing sustainable commuting programs to its employees, helping to save costs, reduce parking demand, and improve sustainability impact while delivering top-tier healthcare services. They are demonstrating that exceptional patient care and environmental stewardship can thrive together. pointA continues to work with NYGH to find innovative ways to increase sustainable commuting trips.
If you are impressed by what we have done with NYGH and you want your organization to be part of the Smart Commute program, book a meeting.
