No changes for Big Move, minister says

Ontario Transportation Minister Glen Murray insists he’s sticking with the Big Move.

“The plan is sound. There’s not a single project we’re revisiting,” said Murray in response to a newspaper report that suggested the minister may be reconsidering some of the projects in Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan.

The government has no plans to change any of the lines already in progress, including light rail on Eglinton, Sheppard, Finch and the Scarborough RT, Murray told the Star.

Those are firm and there are no plans to reopen the agreement between Metrolinx, the TTC and Toronto to retool any of them. The second wave of projects, however, is still being developed, he said. While there’s no question of changing the projects in Metrolinx’s “second wave” of transit plans either — including a downtown relief line for Toronto, an LRT on Hurontario St. in Mississauga and the extension of the Yonge subway to Richmond Hill — the lines must be constantly reassessed to make sure they are serving the broader goals of the regional plan, said Murray. “We’re looking at how these projects work individually and how they work together to reduce congestion and that’s part of the ongo- ing planning process we undertake,” he said. “We try to make sure that by the time the shovels are in the ground, they’re well defined and we’ve met the objectives of the plan. Before we’re in the ground with the relief line we’ll make sure we’ve done the proper planning.” His remarks come as the Liberal government and Metrolinx are trying to persuade Toronto region residents they will need to pay taxes or tolls toward a $2-billion annual regional transit expansion in order to combat the growing gridlock on area roads. The report suggested that Murray believes the planning process needs more rigour before the Big Move is considered final.