Optimizing Canada's transportation system for global competitiveness

空间经济和运输系统是直接相互依存的。一个特定国家的运输系统可以被看作是该国经济的实物代表：个人活动模式和商业运作创造客运和货运需求，从而产生汽车、卡车和铁路运输。同时，运输系统的绩效影响经济的空间组织，例如通过家庭和企业的地点选择，以及贸易和旅行模式。因此，经济系统通过其产生的活动影响运输系统，而运输系统通过其提供的可达性影响经济系统。因此，加拿大交通系统的表现是其经济和全球竞争力的关键组成部分。******空间经济与交通相互作用（SETI）模型用于评估交通基础设施备选方案的经济影响。在城市、区域和国家尺度上采用了各种方法方法，如土地利用交通相互作用（LUTI）模型和基于随机效用的多区域投入产出（RUBMRIO）模型。交通导向的空间可计算一般均衡（SCGE）模型是目前在国家层面上最完整的经济模拟工具，因为它们全面地模拟了整个经济，其所有部分之间的相互依赖关系，以及这些部分中的微观经济行为。******拟议的研究计划将开发一个具有本质上不同重点的SETI建模框架。除了评估潜在的交通基础设施替代方案外，还将建立一个加拿大建模平台，智能地确定哪些基础设施投资将为加拿大经济带来最大利益。需要一些创新来解决当前建模方法的局限性，并开发模型的智能行为。该提案详细描述了这些和其他有益的创新。完整的建模平台将使加拿大在SETI建模方面超越最先进的水平。******实际上，这项研究有望改善旨在改善加拿大经济和全球竞争力的交通项目和政策的科学和工程投入。在学术上，本研究有望在交通运输和经济相互作用的理解和建模方面建立及时、创新和变革性的联系

Spatial economic and transport systems are directly interdependent. The transportation system of a given country can be viewed as a physical representation of that country's economy: individual activity patterns and business operations create passenger and freight demands that result in car, truck, and rail movements. Simultaneously, the performance of the transportation system affects the spatial organization of the economy, for example through household and firm location choices, as well as trade and travel patterns. Therefore, economic systems impact transportation systems by the activities they produce, while transportation systems impact economic systems by the accessibility they provide. Hence, the performance of Canada's transportation system is a critical component of its economy and global competitiveness.******Spatial Economic and Transportation Interaction (SETI) models are used to evaluate the economic impacts of transportation infrastructure alternatives. Various methodological approaches have been taken at the urban, regional, and national scales, such as Land Use Transportation Interaction (LUTI) models and Random-Utility-Based Multi-Regional Input-Output (RUBMRIO) models. Transport-oriented Spatial Computable General Equilibrium (SCGE) models are currently the most complete economic simulation tool at the national level because they comprehensively model the entire economy, the inter-dependency between all of its parts, and the microeconomic behavior within these parts.******The proposed research program will develop a SETI modelling framework with an essentially different focus. In addition to evaluating prospective transportation infrastructure alternatives, a Canadian modelling platform will be built that intelligently determines where infrastructure investments would provide the greatest benefit to the Canadian economy. Several innovations are required to address the limitations of current modelling approaches and to develop the model's intelligent behaviour. The proposal describes these and other contributing innovations in detail. The complete modelling platform will bring Canada to and beyond the state-of-the-art in SETI modelling.******Practically, this research is expected to improve the scientific and engineering input into transportation projects and policies aimed at improving Canada's economy and global competitiveness. Academically, this research is expected to make timely, innovative, and transformative connections in the understanding and modelling of transportation and economic interactions.**