Transit showdown brewing as rumours fly that Rob Ford will try to kill Transit City tomorrow
Despite some speculation that Rob Ford was going to make peace with Transit City after his election win, the National Post is reporting that he is as anti–light rail as ever, looking to put a stop to the LRT project during his first day of business tomorrow.
According to the Post’s Peter Kuitenbrouwer:
A little more than three weeks after the election, on Nov. 19, Rob Prichard, the chairman of Metrolinx, the provincial transit authority, and Bruce McCuaig, Metrolinx CEO, met on the 16th Floor of City Hall’s west tower with four members of Mr. Ford’s transition team: Nick Kouvalis, Mr. Ford’s chief of staff; Mark Towhey, his director of policy; and former city councillors Gordon Chong and Case Ootes.
Metrolinx sought the Ford team’s blessing for the light-rail plan, but got nowhere.
“There was no sense of backing off,” said a source. “They are pretty keen on a subway.”
If the Post is right, it looks like naming Karen Stintz to the post of TTC chief wasn’t actually a peace offering to the Transit City crowd after all. We can hear the sound of hopes being dashed all over the downtown core.
Of course, there’s any number of problems with the Ford plan: it will cost a ton of money, possibly hundreds of millions of dollars in cancellation fees (that ought to be a problem for the “respect for taxpayers” mayor). Then there’s the fact that Dalton McGuinty is basically saying that there’s no way Toronto is getting the extra money for a Scarborough subway. Finally, the lesson of the state of New Jersey is worth following here: since Chris Christie cancelled a much-needed transit rail project, it isn’t just that the state gave up federal money it had coming to it—the feds also want their money back.
The province is already making similar noises, saying that on top of whatever fees Toronto would pay to firms like Bombardier, the province would demand the city pay back the money it’s already spent on Transit City. Kuitenbrouwer quotes a provincial source all but putting a gun on the table: “If we spent $140 million on Transit City, the province isn’t going to eat that… The province is going to want to get paid back.” If Ford wants to put nearly a billion dollars on the line out of spite for David Miller’s legacy, he’d better come up with a better argument for it—and fast.
• Mayor Ford’s first stop: Hit brakes on Transit City [National Post]
• Provincial showdown brewing over Transit City [Toronto Star]
How stupid is Rob Ford?
I mean really. His first act as mayor is to put Toronto in the hole for maybe a billion dollars and set the city back 10 years on transit. He also puts the Pan-Am games at risk since subways would not be ready by 2015 even if he did get everything for which he’s asking.
Secondly, what does Ford expect the TTC to do about this matter? The TTC is NOT building Transit City, the province is building it.
The source from the province is dead on. This is ego, nothing more. Ford’s actions are all about stamping on David Miller’s legacy and asking others to pay for his pride.
There’s one problem with this article, and it’s “the sound of hopes being dashed all over the downtown core”.
Transit City serves communities along Eglinton, Sheppard, Don Mills, and Finch. These are the suburbs that downtown folk like me supposedly hate.
I agree with Clayton. If contracts are signed, designs and construction have started, then cancelling will just be a waste of taxpayer’s money.
Does anyone know how we can make our voices heard? I know the city voted him in, but not necessary on every issue… (and I currently live in Markham, but I think my provincial tax has some part in this… )
Real, true, major cities around North America and indeed the world, have come to realize that subways (or elevated systems like Vancouver’s) is the way to go. At grade systems and fixed rail streetcars really are second-rate ways to achieve moving a city and it’s people around. Traffic congestion is deadly to moving goods and services in large cities – costing millions of dollars every year in productivity. If Ford gets his way, the people of Toronto will look back in 10 years or so and thank this guy for his vision.
I dont so much agree with you Jeff. Have you been to Amsterdam or Brussels and see how the streetcars move around the city and serve the city and outin the burbs alittle ? its amazing. Their secret is that they give the streetcar (trams) right of way in all cases. Here, we give motorist the right of way – try taking the 510 streetcar from Union to Spadina and see how many times it stop , wait on the green light,wait on the turning vecicles.
Clayton has a great point – contracts etc have been signed and done. the cost to break etc – is it worth it ? and if we revise everything, Dalton is giving us no guarantee to get new funds.
This is Ford’s small town thinking. I wish him all the best but still think his small town, penny pinching ways will be best suited for Port Perry!!
what can we do? well, we can make sure our councillors know we oppose what rob ford wants to do, and that we support transit city. call and write to your councillors and get your neighbours to.
there’s this as well:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110872685647491
The difference between Toronto and world class cities is that world class cities such as New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, just to name a few, all have great subway systems that move millions of people and help to reduce traffic congestion. In contrast, light rail takes up ground space and increases ground traffic. Toronto must “bite the bullet” and start doing what it should have done 50 years ago – build more subways! We do not need more light rail fiasco’s like St. Clair. St Clair was a complete waste of money and only served to increase traffic congestion and ruin small business. Way to go David Miller. Finally, I really do not know why so many people are worried of what Mr. Ford might do to this city, he certainly cannot do any worse than all his predecessors!
In retrospect, now hearing about the subway is more laong Eglinton and sheppard, it seems to me make more sense than LRT. I get it now and totally agree with Mr. Robert Ford. LRT and streetcar all the way downtown but subways along those corridors.. make sense.
@Clayton **R U for Real? Stamping on Millers legacy! City Hall told me last week that NO Politician has the right to impose his vision on a community.
Miller did nothing but pander to the special interest groups, IGNORING THE VAST MAJORITY.
Rob Ford is NOT forcing his visions on us. He was voted in by the majority of the people to finally install the subway system that should have been continued all these 50 years had it not been for the road blocks set up by the small demanding niches of Toronto that would prefer that we all live in the Pioneer Village days so that they could own the roads with their bikes.
ENOUGH! THE VAST MAJORITY FINALLY HAVE SPOKEN AND ROB FORD IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS LISTENED TO US! And that is why he is the New Mayor and not Miller!
It would be wise for the Pro-Bikes – Ban Cars politicians to tread softly, bcos there is another election next year and WE, the majority of forward thinkers will NOT vote their parties into power if they don’t Stop, Look & Listen to the majority of voters that want subways and not streetcars, LRT’s or anything else that takes up road space.
If you think that a lot of voters came out for this election, wait until you see how many come out to the next election to vote for the people that support our demand……
Subways and nothing less!
The days of pandering to the select few are over! 50 years of waisted time is over.
Bring on the Subways and keep bringing them on for all of our future sake!
Go Rob Go!