Province gives TTC approval for Air Rail Link
‘We must not ... allow further council debate’
The Ontario government has put the kibosh on two key elements of the newly proposed OneCity transit concept after announcing it is pushing forward with approved transit plans, the Transportation Minister revealed Friday.
The Expanded Transit Vision that was approved by city council in March and later by cabinet in April would see the Scarborough line kept above ground and would block a multi-stop approach to the proposed Etobicoke Express Line.
“That train has left the station,” Minister Bob Chiarelli said in regard to the two lines. “After all the recent confusion, debates, and reversals, we must not and cannot allow further council debate and delay,” he said.
Under the OneCity plan, which does not yet have the approval of city council and is opposed by Mayor Rob Ford, the Scarborough line would be a subway from Kennedy Station to Sheppard and McCowan.
Under the approved plans, the Scarborough line is already being constructed as an above ground RT line.
The province has also given the green light to the Air Rail Link, which would provide a direct line between Toronto Union station and Pearson Airport. Mr. Chiarelli rejected the multi-stop proposal but said the line will be electrified sometime in the future.
Under the province’s approved plans, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Scarborough RT and Finch West LRT would be completed by 2020. The Sheppard East LRT would be completed by 2021.
Mr. Chiarelli said OneCity plans, proposed by TTC chair Karen Stintz and vice-chair Glenn De Baeremaeker, would require legislative changes causing further delays and costs. He also said the Scarborough subway would breach one of the financial conditions laid out by the province in exchange for funding the lines.
The province has already committed $8.4-billion towards the approved transit plan. Bruce McCuaig, the president and CEO of Metrolinx, said $40-million has already been spent on the Scarborough RT and vehicles have been ordered. The 30-year $30-billion OneCity plan would add 170 kilometres of new subway, streetcar, light-rail and bus lines in an effort to alleviate traffic around the city.
NDP transportation critic Jonah Schein said it is disappointing to hear Mr. Chiarelli “pour cold water on city initiatives.”
Some city councillors have expressed concern over the secrecy surrounding the new transit proposal.
“We can’t be presumptuous that the province and the federal government are going to step in and fund this,” said councillor Jaye Robinson.
Mr. De Baeremaeker defended the board’s decision to refrain from consulting the provincial government ahead of revealing the plan Wednesday.
“You don’t show people half a pie. We did the right thing. We showed people a final product with a funding model,” he said.
Councillors said Mr. Chiarelli’s announcement does not come as a surprise because the province has long indicated its support for the March plans.
“As Toronto’s partners, we appreciate the province’s continued assistance to address the need for perpetual transport investment and improvement, in Toronto and the GTHA,” Ms. Stintz wrote on the Onecity website.
Mr. De Baeremaeker said he doesn’t blame the province for going ahead with the approved plans.
“I would have been much happier if he had said he approved of the Scarborough subway but the city has a major gridlock problem so I can understand what the minister is saying.”
The TTC board would expect the province to consider the Onecity proposal if council supports the motion in the coming months, Ms. Stintz said.
Mr. Chiarelli did not say whether the province would ignore the Onecity plans if they are approved by council.
“Onecity is a concept plan,” he said, “not a decision from council.”