Bringing order out of chaos
Yes, on the surface, the state of Toronto transit looks chaotic. The mayor lost a key vote Monday and had his minions tossed from the Toronto Transit Commission. That came just two weeks after these same loyalists had fired the system’s chief general manager without just cause, and a month after council dealt Mayor Rob Ford a humiliating defeat by backing light rail lines over subways.
All this has led to considerable hand-wringing. There’s an outcry over “lunatics running the asylum” and a lament over city hall’s seizure by “a power-drunk left-wing opposition.” There’s broad concern over “chaos raging” on the transit file.
In fact, what’s happening isn’t more chaos at all. It’s the system democratically sorting itself out and ending the disorder caused by Ford’s clumsy mismanagement.
A little over a year ago Toronto had a fully funded, thoroughly studied and officially approved plan to extend a network of light rail lines into underserved areas of the city. Queen’s Park had agreed to cover the project’s $8.2 billion cost, and contracts had been signed with companies eager to work. No chaos here, just a wellcrafted plan called “Transit City.”
Then Ford came to power. He immediately declared Transit City dead and announced his intention to use the province’s money to build subways. By his own admission, Ford’s decision to go underground was the product of public opinion polls rather than study or analysis. It was ruinously expensive — with the cost of proposed subways far exceeding the money committed by the province. And there would be penalties for breaking existing contracts and pointless preparation work, costing up to $65 million. Despite all that, Ford insisted on barreling ahead. That was chaos.
Evidently intimidated by the mayor’s early popularity, Premier Dalton Mcguinty’s government — to its shame — signed a deal with Ford accepting his ill-judged change of direction. But there were two key provisions: the shift couldn’t cost the province more than it had already agreed to pay, and the new deal required city council approval. Along the way, Ford hid a TTC report because it thoroughly undermined his case for subways and dithered for a year without putting his plan to a council vote. In other words, more chaos.
The process of restoring order began on Feb. 8, when a strong city council majority led by TTC chair Karen Stintz backed key elements of the original Transit City light rail plan, including surface lines for part of Eglinton Ave. and along Finch Ave. West. Ford’s faction on the TTC’S governing board fought back by ousting general manager Gary Webster for failing to endorse subways. But now that group has been tossed out, bringing the TTC fully into line with council’s light rail vision. In other words, order is emerging.
The final act is set for March 21. That’s when council is to vote on either backing subway expansion on Sheppard Ave. or providing light rail transit there, in keeping with the city’s original plan.
If Stintz carries the day once more — or an acceptable compromise is worked out — the disorder wrought by Ford’s subway follies will officially end. City council will have spoken. And the province will, once again, have clear direction on funding Toronto’s transit future.
But what if Ford wins this subway vote? Well, then we’re plunged right back into chaos. And, surely, no Torontonian wants that.