GO decision to be probed by AG

Questions of political tampering linger over the provincial transportation minister’s involvement in pushing for two GO stations over recommendations they not be built.

Now, Ontario’s Auditor General will look into the issue.

That move follows a motion spearheaded by Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris, the PC transportation critic. The motion approved this week by Public Accounts Committee asks that “the Auditor General conduct a value for money audit on proposed Metrolinx GO stations at Kirby and Lawrence East.”

“Given the serious questions that remain unanswered relating to ministerial decision-making potentially influencing this process I think we’ve had a win for taxpayers today in having our provincial watchdog dig into the numbers before this moves any further ahead,” Harris said following the vote. “While I had hoped we would have that information for taxpayers before the next election, I’m glad to see all committee members understood the seriousness of this issue and the importance of getting to the bottom of it.”

Harris initially wrote the auditor after reports surfaced that MTO overruled Metrolinx recommendations and analysis citing longer travel times, fewer passengers, more highway traffic and losses in approving the $100 million Kirby station in Steven Del Duca’s riding.

The value for money audit on the two stations will now be a focus of the 2018 annual report of the Auditor General, noted Harris in a release.