Premier Doug Ford's Ontario

[OneCity]

I have to transfer lines at St. George, so clearly that's not equitable for me. I demand a return to interlining.

You just cant compare the two stations. The commutes in these areas are vastly different, the economic impact of a City Centre growth node vs. a central Downtown stop which is surrounded by transit options is very different. North York Centre and Vaughan Centre are much more comparable to Scarborough Centre, or lesser in Vaughans case.

Those that likely hate Ford the most are tripling down once again on the old transfer plan for Scarborough, offering zero compromise in the face of massive Political support and basically joining Tory in the sad transit plan line that really only helps Ford. Tory may get away with a bad plan, as some just want action and some are too scared of Ford. Anyone else has zero chance in Scarborough if they refuse to acknowledge the short coming in the RT and Transit City that has been called out and overwhelmingly rejected through this massive inner suburb by the majority of ridings at all government levels surrounding the City Centre. Promoting transit City at this stage is inadvertently campaigning heavily for Ford.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Hold on, there, OneCity.....the Fords never were and still aren't proponents of "better". Better for themselves maybe, but not for, let's say, working-class people like me. Of course, Ford will claim that he is my champion. That he is a defender of my fiduciary contribution to society. The thing is, I'm not a fool who can't think critically in spite of being a broken down cog in the machinery that props up the upper classes. Most of my class peers are the same, thankfully.

 

[animatronic]

You just cant compare the two stations. The commutes in these areas are vastly different, the economic impact of a City Centre growth node vs. a central Downtown stop which is surrounded by transit options is very different. North York Centre and Vaughan Centre are much more comparable to Scarborough Centre, or lesser in Vaughans case.

Those that likely hate Ford the most are tripling down once again on the old transfer plan for Scarborough, offering zero compromise in the face of massive Political support and basically joining Tory in the sad transit plan line that really only helps Ford. Tory may get away with a bad plan, as some just want action and some are too scared of Ford. Anyone else has zero chance in Scarborough if they refuse to acknowledge the short coming in the RT and Transit City that has been called out and overwhelmingly rejected through this massive inner suburb by the majority of ridings at all government levels surrounding the City Centre. Promoting transit City at this stage is inadvertently campaigning heavily for Ford.

I refuse to plan transit based on which politicians need re-election. There is absolutely nothing wrong with mid-capacity solutions like LRTs feeding into high capacity subways.

 

[OneCity]

I refuse to plan transit based on which politicians need re-election. There is absolutely nothing wrong with mid-capacity solutions like LRTs feeding into high capacity

Not as simple as capacity and technology. That basic sole criteria works for Eglinton where nothing previously exists. For the other lines there was also a problem with the points of connection,on both Sheppard to the stub and cutting off before SCC. Anyway slightly wrong thread, but the failure to integrate Scarborough Centre in such a manner is also why these Politics are so easily and overwhelmingly supported by the people who live in this massive inner Toronto suburb.

Clearly a politician wouldn't see such high support even in areas of Scarborough not surrounding the Centre if there wasnt something wrong. What's far worse than Mayoral candidates and local Politicians using transit to get elected is outside Politicians using Scarborough's transit for their own re election purposes.

Under Tory with the help of Keesmat the SSE has lost a very important hospital stop. This kind of nonsense in combination with the promotion of an unwanted transfer LRT plan, is only pushing local residents towards Ford on transit. Its really those that dislike Ford the most that keep him relevant by being so stubborn promoting such bad transit concepts. Atleast Tory has a good overall plan to move forward.

 

[BurlOak]

Not as simple as capacity and technology. That basic sole criteria works for Eglinton where nothing previously exists. For the other lines there was also a problem with the points of connection,on both Sheppard to the stub and cutting off before SCC. Anyway slightly wrong thread, but the failure to integrate Scarborough Centre in such a manner is also why these Politics are so easily and overwhelmingly supported by the people who live in this massive inner Toronto suburb.

Clearly a politician wouldn't see such high support even in areas of Scarborough not surrounding the Centre if there wasnt something wrong. What's far worse than Mayoral candidates and local Politicians using transit to get elected is outside Politicians using Scarborough's transit for their own re election purposes.

Under Tory with the help of Keesmat the SSE has lost a very important hospital stop. This kind of nonsense in combination with the promotion of an unwanted transfer LRT plan, is only pushing local residents towards Ford on transit. Its really those that dislike Ford the most that keep him relevant by being so stubborn promoting such bad transit concepts. Atleast Tory has a good overall plan to move forward.

I think you have pointed this out before.

It appears that TTC always wanted to connect STC with the B-D line.
It appears that Metrolinx wanted to connect STC with the Eglinton line.
The City Councillors and Provincial Liberals, especially the Scarborough wing, have been playing politics with this for nearly a decade.

 

[JWBF]

Not as simple as capacity and technology. That basic sole criteria works for Eglinton where nothing previously exists. For the other lines there was also a problem with the points of connection,on both Sheppard to the stub and cutting off before SCC. Anyway slightly wrong thread, but the failure to integrate Scarborough Centre in such a manner is also why these Politics are so easily and overwhelmingly supported by the people who live in this massive inner Toronto suburb.

Clearly a politician wouldn't see such high support even in areas of Scarborough not surrounding the Centre if there wasnt something wrong. What's far worse than Mayoral candidates and local Politicians using transit to get elected is outside Politicians using Scarborough's transit for their own re election purposes.

Under Tory with the help of Keesmat the SSE has lost a very important hospital stop. This kind of nonsense in combination with the promotion of an unwanted transfer LRT plan, is only pushing local residents towards Ford on transit. Its really those that dislike Ford the most that keep him relevant by being so stubborn promoting such bad transit concepts. Atleast Tory has a good overall plan to move forward.

It appears that you are misinformed when it comes to the facts of transit type v. capacity v. cost. I will not argue that politics are to play at least in transit decisions in Toronto, however, you are mistaken, and misinformed, as to serving people with local needs v. commuting needs.

The Scarborough areas of Toronto are unique in its transit needs. A severe majority of those who use transit do so for local trips, not commuting downtown. The Scarborough areas of the city are not an "inner suburb" but a series of communities linked by several urban centres, not a satellite area that depends on a city for its existence.

Planing transit that does not serve the densest parts of Toronto is not spending money wisely. If Doug Ford is a Fiscal Conservative then he would instantly see this, but instead just shows his own political ambitions. Taking into account his past arguments on property values and promoting a "War On The Car", a political taking point of Rob Ford, then I can assume that his intentions have nothing to do to serve the needs of the people and only the "elitest" minority.

The numbers do not support heavy transit such as a "subway". Also, the budget only supports the extension as it is; further expansion of any rapid transit is not even considered.

 

[BurlOak]

It appears that you are misinformed when it comes to the facts of transit type v. capacity v. cost. I will not argue that politics are to play at least in transit decisions in Toronto, however, you are mistaken, and misinformed, as to serving people with local needs v. commuting needs.

The Scarborough areas of Toronto are unique in its transit needs. A severe majority of those who use transit do so for local trips, not commuting downtown. The Scarborough areas of the city are not an "inner suburb" but a series of communities linked by several urban centres, not a satellite area that depends on a city for its existence.

Planing transit that does not serve the densest parts of Toronto is not spending money wisely. If Doug Ford is a Fiscal Conservative then he would instantly see this, but instead just shows his own political ambitions. Taking into account his past arguments on property values and promoting a "War On The Car", a political taking point of Rob Ford, then I can assume that his intentions have nothing to do to serve the needs of the people and only the "elitest" minority.

The numbers do not support heavy transit such as a "subway". Also, the budget only supports the extension as it is; further expansion of any rapid transit is not even considered.

I recall reading so much how Scarborough has 60% of trips being local. However, I have never seen the statistic for the other "Boroughs". I would guess they are all quite similar. I somehow think you have kids going to school, or people buying their local groceries. both of these are likely best served with bus. Forcing a longer walk to an LRT stop, along with less frequent service, just to save a few minutes on the LRT is not that big of a deal. There is not much you can save on a 10 or 20 minute trip. It is the long distance trips that are over an hour in length where people want their travel time reduced, and reductions are possible with well planned transit.

 

[toaster29]

I recall reading so much how Scarborough has 60% of trips being local. However, I have never seen the statistic for the other "Boroughs". I would guess they are all quite similar. I somehow think you have kids going to school, or people buying their local groceries. both of these are likely best served with bus. Forcing a longer walk to an LRT stop, along with less frequent service, just to save a few minutes on the LRT is not that big of a deal. There is not much you can save on a 10 or 20 minute trip. It is the long distance trips that are over an hour in length where people want their travel time reduced, and reductions are possible with well planned transit.

I don't know of any figures, but my anecdotes of living in Etobicoke is that this is not the case (particularly in the mid to south portions of Etobicoke, may be be different in Rexdale/Etobicoke North).

 

[zang]

But the Anti Ford Left councilors were unwilling to work with him or the people that he was supporting.

You mean like the “transit expert” dentist?

Quite arguably, Ford created his own cooperation issues—long even, before the crack scandal. A belligerent, selfish man who insults other councillors and repeatedly lies on council floor is never going to get as much support as others, regardless of the practicality of a single idea—which, a half-assed facimile of an actual provincial plan doesn’t have.

 

[JWBF]

I somehow think you have kids going to school, or people buying their local groceries. both of these are likely best served with bus.

I am lucky to be able to walk everywhere I need to go; however, there is a great need for transit that serves a community in several provinces. Just for the record, I have lived in New Glasgow and Westville, Nova Scotia.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Our "beloved" Doug Ford wrote (allegedly) an editorial in the Sunday Sun, December 31, 2017 edition, at this link, on the
FORD: John Tory's King Street pilot project a disaster

BY DOUG FORD

The car exclusion zone on King Street has now been in place for a couple of months.

What I have heard and seen from small business owners is that sales have sunk to an all-time low, traffic has been driven away from the area and the neighbourhood has become less vibrant.

Gridlock has become unbearable on neighboring streets, businesses are suffering devastating consequences and drivers are getting fined during the holidays.

I am as shocked as I am amazed that John Tory continues to stand by this streetcar disaster that no one desired.

Where did Tory think the millions of motorists were supposed to go? How did he think that businesses could survive a 50% decrease in revenues? Why did he think it would be fair to hand out Tory Tickets of $110 and two demerit points? Is all of this worth a couple of minutes saved on the streetcar?

It seems that John Tory just doesn’t care.

We all want our city to be the best place to live, work and raise a family. But John Tory’s car exclusion zone is hurting the economic prosperity of King Street businesses, the hundreds of jobs, and commuters that need to get to and from work.

Tory rolled the dice in a politically motivated move, hoping to score cheap political points while commuters, businesses, economic development and tourism all be damned. Allowing political schemes to drive city policies shows Tory’s weak leadership.

The city is reviewing the project, but one of my biggest concerns is that the facts will be glossed over. To say that businesses aren’t hurting, or that travel times on neighbouring streets have only increased marginally is scandalous.

A City Hall journalist conducted a test drive and results showed travel times on adjacent streets more than doubled — and that was outside of rush hour.

While I know John Tory will not admit to failure and cancel the project, I am urging him to at the very least limit the pilot project to the end of January 2018. The city must then bring in a third-party, arm’s-length organization to consult with businesses and stakeholders, study the changes to streetcar and vehicular travel times so that Council can review the project and vote on it immediately.

This change needs to be done today – not next week or the next month.

If congestion on neighbouring streets does not go down, and if business revenues are still sagging, and if the streetcar travel times do not decrease beyond a couple of minutes, then Tory needs to wake up, stop using commuters as pawns and scrap this ridiculous King car and business exclusion zone.

As expected by the automobile-centric disciple. I especially chuckle when he mentioned "A City Hall journalist conducted a test drive and results showed travel times on adjacent streets more than doubled...". That's singular, ignoring the 40+ passengers on the streetcars and pedestrians walking on the street. The single-occupant motorist is still more all important to Doug.

 

[JWBF]

"How did he think that businesses could survive a 50% decrease in revenues?"
The numbers keep going up but there still has been no actual numbers released as far as I know.

"Tory rolled the dice in a politically motivated move, hoping to score cheap political points while commuters, businesses, economic development and tourism all be damned. Allowing political schemes to drive city policies shows Tory’s weak leadership."
Not like "Suways! Subways! Subway!"; the whole one-stop SSE is the legacy of Robbie.

"If congestion on neighbouring streets does not go down, and if business revenues are still sagging, and if the streetcar travel times do not decrease beyond a couple of minutes, then Tory needs to wake up, stop using commuters as pawns and scrap this ridiculous King car and business exclusion zone."
So it's all about businesses, fair enough for someone who doesn't think well of commuters or those in the wrong tax bracket. Again, I like how Dougie has spurious numbers ready to prove his points but none that balance the equation.

 

[SunriseChampion]

"...business exclusion zone."


What rubbish. Perhaps Douglas should go sling some hash down there to see that business is in fact not excluded.

 

[pman]

So a project to more efficiently move people to and through the King corridor, on the travel mode that already carries three quarters of local passenger volume, is actually a plot against local businesses. That’s some Peak Toronto shit there.

 

[Videodrome]

Jennifer Pagliaro @jpags
10s
On CP24, "former city councillor" Doug Ford vows to return to "fully-funded", three-stop Scarborough subway if elected mayor. That subway plan is no longer fully funded. With rising construction costs, it was last estimated at $4.61B. Funding available: $3.56B

Doug, that's not true.