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Despite what Ford says The Streetcar in Toronto is here to stay.

nfitz said:
43 of 44 of the councillors would oppose the mayor if it interfered with their ward. All whose last name isn't Ford.

I think every councillor whose ward has streetcars has already spoken out against cancelling them. Even Conservatives Nunziata and Stintz have spoken out about cancelling the Eglinton LRT which goes through their wards.

The province has said that they would consider reopening plans if council votes to do so.

The feds can't promise too much without having to fund every other city in the country. I suppose they could promise to spend their $300-million for Sheppard East differently—minus how much has already been spent—if the province agrees to let them get out of the current deal.

However, it's all conjecture until Ford gives any direction; and there's little evidence that the various promises about streetcars and subways were nothing but more Ford lies that he's already backing away from.
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The canceling of most, and probably all current streetcar lines and replacement streetcars for those lines are (or will be) off the table, and in reality were barely on the table.

The $300 million Federal money for Sheppard was originally intended to be a larger amount for a Sheppard subway extension. Miller and Giambrone said no to the subway and yes to a compromised federal contribution for the SELRT. Whether the Feds are still willing to pony up for a Sheppard subway while running a deficit is what's being considered right now.

Of the money that has been spent so far on Sheppard, the Agincourt Underpass Construction (which has to be done regardless) has taken up the majority of that amount.

Public utterances are one thing. Privately, the Province is bending over backwards to find common ground with Ford, which means plans have already been reopened.

Is that 43-2 transit vote prediction more ironclad than your "everyone knows Rob Ford has no chance of winning" prediction?

The Mad Navigator said:
Personally, I'd rather see nothing get built and leave everything as is.
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Nothing getting built or started: Doubtful, but not impossible.
 
GenerationW said:
The canceling of most, and probably all current streetcar lines and replacement streetcars for those lines are (or will be) off the table, and in reality were barely on the table.
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If you believe that, why did you say "If Ford gets his transit plan approved (and I'm betting he will)". I was simply challenging that statement, which is what lead to this debate. How come you object to me challenging that statement, and yet you also believe that part of Ford's transit plan is off the table?

GenerationW said:
The $300 million Federal money for Sheppard was originally intended to be a larger amount for a Sheppard subway extension.
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That sounds incorrect to me. The Feds didn't mention one word about funding Sheppard until 2 years after we were discussing Sheppard East LRT. They had about 15 years before that to offer funding, and didn't offer one cent. Do you have any reference to support that
 
^ Some of Ford's transit proposals are clearly off the table, as they will meet very little support and a lot of opposition. His proposals to remove the existing streetcar routes and to defer the Eglinton line fall into that group.

But that does not mean all of his proposals are off the table. There is no contradiction here.
 
We've already got word that the Sheppard West subway extension is on the table so I'd say it looks like Ford's plan is starting to become more clear.
 
Coruscanti Cognoscente said:
We've already got word that the Sheppard West subway extension is on the table so I'd say it looks like Ford's plan is starting to become more clear.
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Perhaps the only part of Ford's plan that might get built, given that his other plans all conflict with well advanced projects. And although passenger demand is likely to be even lower than the Sheppard East subway, at least it will provide some network connectivity, and provide access from Wilson Yard to the Yonge subway extension.

Not sure what indication there is that it's on the table though ... Ford is currently at the Ford mansion in Florida working on his tan.
 
What is oil rich Saudi Arabia doing with them opening a light rail line to transport pilgrims between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa — three stops during the pilgrims’ journey that trace the steps of the Prophet Muhammad and Abraham? Rob Ford better get on the phone with them in Saudi Arabia to dismantle their light rail line and replace it with buses, so they can continue to use their local product, oil. See this link for the Star article.

;)
 
W. K. Lis said:
What is oil rich Saudi Arabia doing with them opening a light rail line to transport pilgrims between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa — three stops during the pilgrims’ journey that trace the steps of the Prophet Muhammad and Abraham? Rob Ford better get on the phone with them in Saudi Arabia to dismantle their light rail line and replace it with buses, so they can continue to use their local product, oil. See this link for the Star article.

;)
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The "light rail" is more SRT than Transit City. They even have platform screen doors!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5WOWN7vGCw&feature=player_embedded#!
 
W. K. Lis said:
That Saudi light rail train was built by 14,000 Chinese workers. Probably a savings there (Ford: hint, hint).
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Hmm.. Government gets back a lot of the capital funds through income and sales tax revenue. The savings from bringing in immigrants who immediately send all funds back to their country of origin may not be all that high, particularly of the local guy is on unemployment at the time.

Saudi Arabia has zero income and sales taxation for locals. Corporations are between 25 and 45%: A corporation who makes significant profit by bringing in foreigners has a substantial return to the government via taxation.
 
leopetr said:
Eglinton LRT is compatible with platform screen doors as designed. It will have automatic train control from day 1.
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Sevilla's LRT line is equipped with platform screen doors. The metro is probably the best example of what to expect with the ECLRT.
 
W. K. Lis said:
That Saudi light rail train was built by 14,000 Chinese workers. Probably a savings there (Ford: hint, hint).
Click to expand...

Hmmm..importing low-wage Chinese laborers to complete a Canadian railway. Rob Ford might just be ignorant enough of Chinese-Canadian history to suggest such a thing.
 
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