Hudak knows full well that if he doesn't win this election, he's done as leader of the Conservative and whatever strategy he used last time wasn't good enough. Without Toronto, the Liberals will most likely win another minority government. He's betting all on Toronto, he'll live and die with that gamble. At this point, he really have nothing to lose to do that.
That being said, I think he sincerely believe in the "Transport for London" or "RATP Paris" model which works very well and far exceed our own model with the National Rail Service or the RER working in harmony with their respective subways. Talking about the DRL instead of the Sheppard Subway along with improving GO was a surprise to say the least.
That being said, I don't think he will get that much backlash from canceling suburban local LRT projects. I know we're all transit enthusiast here and there are a lot out there too. The harsh and cold reality is that the majority of the 905 voters drive and that these drivers represent the silent majority. Yes, silent majority. The minority will scream out of outrage for the cancellation of theses projects but they are far from being the majority who votes.
1-Most drivers don't care about LRT. Most 905ers care WAY more about a more accessible GO Train service that will get them to work faster than being on the highway than a local LRT. Unless that LRT is at their doors, they will drive to a GO station if those trains are more frequent, parking is available, and going in both directions. That's reality. People saying that the 905 and it's driver will boycott the PC for cancelling those project are mistaken.
2-Those revenue tools from the Wynne Government will be very hard to sell. Those revenue tools that will costs families hundreds of dollars extra per year are extremely unpopular in the 905 and beyond, even in Toronto. That's where Hudak's gamble kicks in. He will keep justifying cancelling those projects to save families from those revenue tools. He offers Toronto, Scarborough and York region with subway extensions and those in the 905 will get better GO train services.
Most GTA residents don't want those taxes, especially when it's being sold by a government that irresponsibly and without any remorse Billions of our taxes. The liberals have absolutely no credibility. If there hadn't been a e-health scandal, Orange debacle, the gas plant atrocity and Ontario would have prospered under the Liberals, voters would have accepted their pitch. After all those billions down the drain that could have built a DRL, they have the nerve to ask us to trust them with more... Good luck with that.
3-Uploading the subways and possibly the whole TTC onto Metrolinx is aimed at emulating the Transport for London model. There should be more GO stations connected with the subway stations such as Oriole with the Sheppard line. Trains should be way more frequent then they are and more frequent. Regional gridlock is very costly...billions per years and we're one of the worse in North America.
I have family in Europe and people over there don't drive to work in the city. They drive to the closest NSR and RER stations and they can get almost anywhere in the city. They drive when they really have too. That's how you tackle gridlock. Our highways and our streets are jammed because the GO is not good enough even though there trains are full at rush hours. GO Trains services and a subway network that can absorb those extra passenger is vital and an absolute #1 priority.
As for his financial plan... I have doubts. Can he find efficiencies? Sure he can but by how much? He'll be judge on his financial plan when he releases it.
