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2018 Provincial Election Transit Promises

There wasn’t.

I don’t know if this has any significance, but after the debate, all three leaders shook hands. However, Ford was the one to walk away first while Wynne and Horwath walked together talking while the camera zoomed out.

A possible outcome: PCs win plurality but not straight majority, NDPs come close second in the count of seats, and Liberals end up with just a few seats but enough to prop NDP into majority.

Liberals' choices? They won't team up with PCs, as they consider PCs their long-term opponents, while they regard the NDP advance as a one-off event.

The Liberals might stay on the sidelines (just skipping all matter-of-confidence votes) and thus allow PCs to form a government but refuse any responsibility for their rule.

Or, the Liberals might form a coalition with NDP.
 
A possible outcome: PCs win plurality but not straight majority, NDPs come close second in the count of seats, and Liberals end up with just a few seats but enough to prop NDP into majority.

Liberals' choices? They won't team up with PCs, as they consider PCs their long-term opponents, while they regard the NDP advance as a one-off event.

The Liberals might stay on the sidelines (just skipping all matter-of-confidence votes) and thus allow PCs to form a government but refuse any responsibility for their rule.

Or, the Liberals might form a coalition with NDP.

What plurality results in not a majority? Either the Conservatives get a definitive majority (~70 seats) or they'll be defeated. The Liberals have more or less morphed into NDP-lite and will not side with the Tories under any circumstances. True change is with the Tories.

If the NDP gets more than 50 seats and the Liberals manage to keep official party status with 12 plus Schneider's breakthrough in Guelph - they will all team up to block the Tories.

This is David Peterson circa 1985 all over again!
 
I think the NDP will cave on sheppard east.

I don't think so. First of all, there is little to no pressure to build it in the first place. Toronto City Council isn't asking for it. The mayor isn't asking for it. The Liberal Party of Ontario isn't asking for it. Only the Progressive Conservatives have even publicly entertained it, and even they've been 100% non-committal (it's not even part of their pathetic excuse of a platform). So there's no pressure for the NDP to cave to in the first place.

Further, those areas of Scarbrough are Lib/PC strongholds, so the NDP likely does not have much electoral gain from Sheppard East. Also, the NDP favours program spending over capital spending more than any of the other parties, so I'm not particularly expecting them to push much capital spending unless there is a particularly strong business case. Capital infrastructure expansion is not a major part of their platform.

Likewise, I'd expect Yonge North to be on the back burner as well.
 
I think the NDP would cave on Yonge North. So much electoral gain to be had.

Will be interesting to see how they do in both Scarborough and York region. I dont see much effort or see much attention in signage my surrounding neighbourhoods. Interested to see where this late surge is coming from and how it will transfer to seats from the Liberals?

Steve Munro is supporting the NDP and has written an editorial on why on his blog here.

No surprise. Id be shocked to see a vote for any other party and seems like a bit of a rallying call. Id say Horwath is the same leader as the past, just more attention on her as their is now competition from the Conservatives this time around to attract and scare off fringe Liberal voters.
 
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NDP comments in Guelph in this article.

Transit a top issue
Horwath talked about her plan for more transit between cities.

She said she wants to improve the "inter-connectedness of the regional system" and also work with GO Transit and Via Rail. That includes bringing all-day, two-way GO trains to Kitchener.

"What we really need to do is get better at helping people move from community to community," she said.

"We understand that municipalities need some help to boost up their local transit systems, to provide more routes and more frequent buses or services and so we're picking up one half — 50 per cent — of the operating costs of transit systems as well."
 
PC just released their full platform. Here is the transit and infrastructure portion:

rebuilding Ontario

Ontario families deserve major infrastructure investments in both our biggest cities and our smallest towns.

We can also do more to help other parts of Ontario get moving. Whether it is by investing in expanded broadband, increasing local infrastructure funding, or exploring highway expansion across the province. Ontario businesses, families and workers can all count on an Ontario that will move faster than ever before.

We will:
  • Deliver two-way, all-day GO service, including expansions to Bowmanville, Kitchener and completing the Niagara GO Expansion, and support regional transit projects in places such as Ottawa, Hamilton, Mississauga/Brampton, Kitchener-Waterloo and London.
  • Upload responsibility for subway infrastructure, including the building and maintenance of new and existing subway lines, from the City of Toronto to the Province. Add $5 billion in new subway funding to the $9 billion already available to build the Sheppard Loop with Scarborough, the Relief Line, and the Yonge Extension while building future crosstown expansions underground. Keep responsibility for day-to-day operations, including labour relations, with the City of Toronto along with a guarantee that the City will continue to keep all revenue generated by the subway system.
  • Actively explore potential for high-speed rail and highway projects including the potential six-laning of Highway 401 to the 416 between Toronto and Ottawa. Also, complete the environmental assessment for the GTA West Corridor, invest in increasing safety on the 401 West and four-lane Highway 17 in eastern Ontario and Highway 3 in Southwestern Ontario.
  • Expand natural gas distribution to rural communities by enabling private sector participation and use the up to $100 million in savings to invest in cellular and broadband expansion.
  • Increase the Risk Management Program (RMP) cap by $50 million annually to help farmers and other producers better manage risks outside of their control.
What this will cost:

Two-Way GO/Regional Transit Projects – Will maintain current funding as detailed in Ontario’s previous transportation and infrastructure budget.

Upload Toronto Subway System - Costing to be amortized over life of subway projects once operational, plus $160 million per year for existing assets.

Highway Improvement Plan - $20 million for studies/401 improvements, $5 million per year for Highways 3 and 17 amortized over 50 years once completed.

Natural Gas and Broadband/Cellular Expansion – Up to $100 million in savings by enabling private sector to expand natural gas, with savings re-invested in broadband/cellular projects.

Risk Management Program Increase - $50 million per year, starting in year three.
 
I'm still not clear if they promise to maintain existing RER plans (including electrification)
Well, they did say this:


Two-Way GO/Regional Transit Projects – Will maintain current funding as detailed in Ontario’s previous transportation and infrastructure budget.

If the budget is still there...
 
Well, they did say this:


Two-Way GO/Regional Transit Projects – Will maintain current funding as detailed in Ontario’s previous transportation and infrastructure budget.

If the budget is still there...
That’s assuming the budget was already there in the first place.
 
PC just released their full platform. Here is the transit and infrastructure portion:

rebuilding Ontario

Ontario families deserve major infrastructure investments in both our biggest cities and our smallest towns.

We can also do more to help other parts of Ontario get moving. Whether it is by investing in expanded broadband, increasing local infrastructure funding, or exploring highway expansion across the province. Ontario businesses, families and workers can all count on an Ontario that will move faster than ever before.

We will:
  • Deliver two-way, all-day GO service, including expansions to Bowmanville, Kitchener and completing the Niagara GO Expansion, and support regional transit projects in places such as Ottawa, Hamilton, Mississauga/Brampton, Kitchener-Waterloo and London.
  • Upload responsibility for subway infrastructure, including the building and maintenance of new and existing subway lines, from the City of Toronto to the Province. Add $5 billion in new subway funding to the $9 billion already available to build the Sheppard Loop with Scarborough, the Relief Line, and the Yonge Extension while building future crosstown expansions underground. Keep responsibility for day-to-day operations, including labour relations, with the City of Toronto along with a guarantee that the City will continue to keep all revenue generated by the subway system.
  • Actively explore potential for high-speed rail and highway projects including the potential six-laning of Highway 401 to the 416 between Toronto and Ottawa. Also, complete the environmental assessment for the GTA West Corridor, invest in increasing safety on the 401 West and four-lane Highway 17 in eastern Ontario and Highway 3 in Southwestern Ontario.
  • Expand natural gas distribution to rural communities by enabling private sector participation and use the up to $100 million in savings to invest in cellular and broadband expansion.
  • Increase the Risk Management Program (RMP) cap by $50 million annually to help farmers and other producers better manage risks outside of their control.
What this will cost:

Two-Way GO/Regional Transit Projects – Will maintain current funding as detailed in Ontario’s previous transportation and infrastructure budget.

Upload Toronto Subway System - Costing to be amortized over life of subway projects once operational, plus $160 million per year for existing assets.

Highway Improvement Plan - $20 million for studies/401 improvements, $5 million per year for Highways 3 and 17 amortized over 50 years once completed.

Natural Gas and Broadband/Cellular Expansion – Up to $100 million in savings by enabling private sector to expand natural gas, with savings re-invested in broadband/cellular projects.

Risk Management Program Increase - $50 million per year, starting in year three.

How we plan to pay for this:









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