John Tory re-announces a transit line that was supposed to have been built by now
At a joint press conference this morning with Ontario transportation minister Steven Del Duca, competent person and Toronto mayor John Tory made what was billed as a major transit announcement: Finch Street West will be getting its own light-rail line in 2021, with construction to begin in 2016. “Today we are here to talk about moving forward, finally,” Tory told reporters. “What this transit line will do is provide an additional 11 kilometres of badly needed transit.” It’s a bit of progress, but it’s also déjà vu for anyone with a long memory for Toronto’s many thwarted transit schemes. The Finch LRT was originally endorsed by the TTC in 2007, and was scheduled for completion in 2015, before an onslaught of political problems (including the rise of Rob Ford) caused the project to be shelved indefinitely.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/john-tory-re-announces-transit-line-supposed-built-now/&title=John Tory re-announces a transit line that was supposed to have been built by now&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/yawn-tory.jpg&description=At a joint press conference this morning with Ontario transportation minister Steven Del Duca, competent person and Toronto mayor John Tory made what was billed as a major transit announcement: Finch Street West will be getting its own light-rail line in 2021, with construction to begin in 2016. "Today we are here to talk about moving forward, finally," Tory told reporters. "What this transit line will do is provide an additional 11 kilometres of badly needed transit." It's a bit of progress, but it's also déjà vu for anyone with a long memory for Toronto's many thwarted transit schemes. The Finch LRT was originally endorsed by the TTC in 2007, and was scheduled for completion in 2015, before an onslaught of political problems (including the rise of Rob Ford) caused the project to be shelved indefinitely.){kind=link}
We can all “thank” the Ford brothers and their anti-transit attends for the delay. Also, instead of all the rapid transit projects happening at the same time, they have to be spread out over the decades because of “subway, subway, subway”.
We can also thank Dalton McGuinty for rolling over when Ford pulled this move…
Judging by the headline, you insinuate that the fact that this LRT line should have already been built that it’s somehow Tory’s fault? I don’t get it TL. Why the sudden hate on for John Tory?
This is a capitulation to the Willowdale & Scarborough Councillor’s that want Toronto to pay for a $5 Billion Dollar Sheppard E. Subway instead of having the Province pay for the LRT! Tory promised to build Rapid Transit to the Priority Neighborhoods to fight Ghetoization after the shooting last week & this breaks that promise.
http://www.cp24.com/video?clip…
Much to TL’s evident dismay, John Tory is proving to be competent and uncontroversial – ergo this attempt to contrive a faux-scandal.
“Yawn Tory” – as if Tory’s lack of controversy is a bad thing…
I know how to finance the extra cost of the subways! A $120 Registration fee on cars!! After all, the only reason we want subways is to keep the TTC off of our precious roadways so that we can drive our cars around as much as we like, whenever we like.
I love driving, but I have raised 3 kids in this city without owning a car. I carefully chose a neighbourhood where this would be possible. But I’m punished for my choice over and over as decisions are made that are car-friendly.
I recall all too well, the pleasure it gave our former Mayor to end the hated $60 annual fee for cars … only to raise the cost of the two metro passes in my home by $60 each!
And now my taxes are going up to pay the extra cost of putting new transit underground so that it will be out of the way of the Precious Automobile.
So long as the cost of transit projects are increased to accomodate the automobile (read: so long as tranit projects are confverted from affordable LRT to unaffordable Subway), then the excess costs should be born by those who drive the cars.
Bring back the Vehicle Registration Fee. But cahnge it from $60 to $120. And rename it to the Get-Transit-Off-Of-My-Streets fee!!
We all rolled over. Let’s learn something from this.