BEYOND THE HEADLINES: Transit solution will require compromise
Scarborough Mirror
Fri Mar 2 2012
Page: 1
Section: News
Byline: DAVID SOKNACKI
Everyone wants transit to benefit themselves. But each stakeholder group wants some else to pay for it. To date, we've seen key players advocating completely different visions, and dividing up areas of the city into winners and losers.
The next steps are so uncertain that no one can now tell what may occur with respect to transit. There is even the possibility that we may lose transit planning for the rest of this council term. However, the realization that no one can get a complete victory has now sunk in, which may be enough to concentrate attention so that we get a solution for most residents.
Take for example the group of developers who met with the mayor earlier this week. Of course they favour subways. Being able to build more density atop a subway line can increase the profitability of their projects. But do not ask them to pay extra. As they made very clear after the meeting, they have no interest in adding larger development charges to finance new transit.
Go out to the suburbs, and ask if residents support subways. Pollsters did. They found that a majority wanted underground transit. Somehow missing in the questions was whether suburbanites were willing to pay higher taxes, zone based fares, or whether they would accept increased densities.
Take a trip downtown, where about half of trips are by transit. Downtowners, who are the least reliant on automobile travel, happily advocate in favour of tolls. Their funding solution requires most commuters, except perhaps themselves, to pay for additional transit.
Now observe the workings of our suburban community councils. No issue causes more indignation than a condominium project that proposes additional densities on a property. Never mind that additional units are the surest route to new transit. Instead, councillors almost unanimously see their ability to offload density to their neighbours as a duty. They only come together on this issue to complain when the Ontario Municipal Board constrains their right to do so.
Next take a look at the wider demographics. We live in Toronto. But fewer of us work downtown, or commute elsewhere in the city.
Although we say we want transit, outside of downtown we will use it mainly for recreational and personal use. Not being compelled to use transit, suburbanites don't.
Finally, consider the position of the provincial government, often transit's paymaster of last resort. Not only does it have financial challenges of its own, but it is quick to point to the city's new abilities to raise funds through the City of Toronto Act. In other words, it tells the city to pay for its own transit.
A creative mayor can turn this chaos into a solution. Common to all participants is agreement that we need additional transit, which requires funding. Although there are widely differing views on who pays how much, it is the job of the mayor, assisted by the TTC and other key stakeholders to pull together both demands and ability to pay from each participant.
As yet we cannot tell what the solution will look like. The result may not construct the full Sheppard subway or prioritize the downtown relief line. It certainly should not give any party the satisfaction of getting benefits without proportionate cost.
However, since we are at the point where key players realize they can only obstruct but not achieve any progress, we have the opportunity for a solution.
[a few times during a snowfall, I made it from Bathurst to Yonge on foot and overtook the 32 Eglinton bus].
