Hamilton the least supportive LRT city?
Survey shows light rail transit is a hard sell in skeptical Steeltown
A new survey suggests Hamiltonians are the most aware — and least supportive — of major LRT projects planned by Metrolinx.
Top LRT spokesperson Jamie Robinson suggested the “unique and ongoing debate” in Hamilton is partly to blame, but also expressed hope a new outreach campaign is slowly getting through to skeptical residents.
Regardless, the results underline the political challenges facing a $1-billion project that is once again destined to be an election issue — despite full provincial funding for the build and tens of millions already spent.
The survey by GQR Canada, previewed at this week’s Metrolinx board meeting, was designed to gauge support for the agency and its new LRT lines underway in Toronto, Mississauga and Hamilton.
The “mixed mode” survey used phone calls as well as web surveys to reach 800 Hamiltonians — half from a broad LRT corridor, the other half city-wide.
A survey synopsis shows at least 80 per cent of surveyed residents in Toronto and Mississauga were generally supportive of LRT projects like Eglinton, Finch West and Hurontario. In each area, the level of support also grew after an explanation of expected benefits.
But not so in Hamilton, where support “dips substantially” to 59 per cent — with or without the explanation. At the same time, 85 per cent of Hamilton respondents were aware of the project — the highest percentage among LRT project areas.
A more traditional 2017 phone poll, paid for by Hamilton councillors, showed 48 per cent of respondents opposed LRT while 40 per cent were in favour. The remainder was undecided. That poll reached 3,300 people and boasted a margin of error of 1.7 per cent, 19 times out of 20, but was also criticized for relying on land line calls.
Robinson said the consultant tried to tackle that land line disparity by using web surveys and invitations over social media. The report notes, however, the methodology does not allow for estimates of sampling error as in a traditional poll.
Both surveys showed similar trends based on age, with older residents far more likely to dislike LRT in both cases.
Robinson suggested the “relatively lower” support levels can be explained partly by Hamilton’s never-ending debate, including route changes, unexpected delays and continued political uncertainty.
“In other cities, you’re not necessarily seeing that same level of debate.”
He added Hamilton’s project also differs “significantly” from others in the number of full property purchases — more than 80 — required along the route.
The survey will be used by Metrolinx as a baseline to measure the effectiveness of resident outreach and a recently completed $158,000 advertising campaign.
The ad blitz started late last year on billboards, in newspapers and on social media, with information popping up everywhere from Facebook to weather apps.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he’s “not surprised” by the results and knows the city has more work to do selling LRT.
“We know we have to do it and we are doing it,” he said, pointing to the work of the city’s “community connectors” talking to corridor residents as well as partnerships with the chamber of commerce and other LRT boosters. “I see the level of support increasing, but we have to continue to put it all together for people, the employment, the economic uplift, the development that is already happening along the corridor.”
By contrast, councillor and Progressive Conservative candidate Donna Skelly said if anything, the survey under-represents the level of opposition to LRT and she questioned if the consultant had sufficient knowledge about Hamilton. (The project corridor as defined in the survey stretched up onto the Mountain and also misidentified the Red Hill Valley Parkway as the “Riverhill” parkway.)
She noted new PC Leader Doug Ford has said Hamilton can use LRT money for other priorities if a different council kills the project. “I’m hearing constantly that people don’t want this project,” she said.