Bridging the Gulf highlights connections between choices made by commuters in Ontario, the negative impacts of oil extraction in North America, and ongoing ecological impacts from oil sands development. It focuses on personal transportation and presents five key actions to reduce oil consumption based on policy changes already underway in the province.

"Ontario is in an excellent position — possibly the best in Canada — to start making significant reductions in transportation fuel use," said Cherise Burda, lead author and Ontario Pembina Institute Policy Director . "It really is possible to put these policies into action. We have everything in place — from a fantastic transit plan that just requires funding, to an electricity grid that is becoming greener and can accommodate electric vehicles."

Ontario consumes a third of all refined petroleum in Canada, and almost all (over 80 per cent) of that oil is used by the transportation sector.

In 10 years, the policy changes recommended in this report would keep $1 billion per year in the province — money currently spent on oil imports, but could be invested in jobs, transit or technology. The greatest short term savings come from "commuter choice" policies that include pay-as-you-drive auto insurance, live-where-you-work mortgage breaks, road pricing policies such as high-occupancy vehicle lane tolls, and a regional gas tax offset by incentives to take transit or ride a bike.