Province eyes Metrolinx shakeup

[DavidH]

There will be public hearings on bill 163 on April 22 and 23:

http://www.ontla.on.ca/committee-pr...-notices/files_html/Ad Bill 163 - English.htm

 

[DavidH]

From the status page for Bill 163, it appears that Royal Assent has been received. Among other things, this means that GO Transit as a separate entity has been formally dissolved and all of its assets and employees have been transferred to Metrolinx.

From the plain-English description of the bill:

The current Act provided that it was to come into force partly when it received Royal Assent and partly on proclamation. Much of the Act did come into force by proclamation on August 24, 2006. However, the parts of the current Act that deal with the dissolution of GO Transit and the delivery of the GO Transit system by the Corporation are still unproclaimed. The Bill amends the Act's commencement section and provides that both the Bill and the unproclaimed provisions of the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act, 2006 will come into force when the Bill receives Royal Assent. The only exception is section 7 of the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act, 2006 (duties of the Corporation re unified fare system), which still awaits proclamation to come into force.

 

[DavidH]

The Metrolinx web site has been updated with bios of new board members. Hopefully they will actually meet in June; it will be the first meeting to have not been cancelled since February.

 

[DavidH]

For anyone interested in the full text of the revised Metrolinx Act, it's now available at:

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06g16_e.htm

This is different from the text of the recent bill, because this is a consolidated version of the entire act including the original 2006 version and the 2009 amendments. It therefore spells out the entire legislative requirements Metrolinx is operating under.

 

[Ansem]

does it have the power to overide Sheppard east (to subway)

and Eglinton (to Subway)?

 

[DavidH]

does it have the power to overide Sheppard east (to subway)

and Eglinton (to Subway)?

If the minister of transportation issues a policy statement, yes. It would then be illegal for the TTC to build it any other way even if the TTC were to fund it without provincial involvement.

Not that either is going to happen, though.

 

[Ansem]

thanks, too bad though

 

[DavidH]

Does anyone know if the previously-scheduled Metrolinx Board meeting is in fact going ahead this Friday?

It and all future board meetings have been removed from the Events list on the Metrolinx web site.

 

[DavidH]

The Metrolinx site has been updated with a new board meeting schedule. The new board will formally meet for the first time on July 13. This will be the first board meeting since February.

Assuming this is the final meeting schedule, the new board will be meeting a lot less than the old one, or its meetings will mostly not be public and are therefore not in the "Events" section of the web site.

Jul 13, 2009 - 1:00 PM
Nov 16, 2009 - 1:00 PM
Feb 19, 2010 - 1:00 PM
May 19, 2010 - 1:00 PM
Jun 29, 2010 - 1:00 PM

 

[waterloowarrior]

the agenda is up... 30 items

from the closed session....

Update on the “Big 5” Projects
Benefits Case Analysis for Yonge North project – Update
Benefits Case Analysis for Lakeshore Electrification – Update
Update on Georgetown EA Process


from the public part of the meeting..here's what the 'big 5' are

 

[Second_in_pie]

...That's the Big 5?! I- I think I'm going to cry

Now does Metrolinx really think that, or are they just doing what the TTC wants to appease them? I like how they continue to use the term RT for Eglinton, rather than LRT. However, they can't want the Finch East-Sheppard East LRTs, can they? I'm sure that Metrolinx wants a full Sheppard Subway as well, right? Same with the SRT extension. It's actually a bit nauseating.

Viva next seems to be going well, which is good news (duh.) I do dislike how Hamilton seems to be all over the Curb-separated LRT that the TTC is promoting. It's like that's the only way you can do LRT! I think that at least the Upper James section would do well on fully separated LRT, and King/Main needs better service than glorified streetcars.

 

[kEiThZ]

...That's the Big 5?! I- I think I'm going to cry

Now does Metrolinx really think that, or are they just doing what the TTC wants to appease them?

I think it has more to do with the fact that those projects are priority for the transit agencies and have probably progressed the most from the MO2020 list.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Ah, that would make sense. It's still madness, but it makes sense

 

[DavidH]

I think it has more to do with the fact that those projects are priority for the transit agencies and have probably progressed the most from the MO2020 list.

Also, the "big 5" have committed and approved government funding.

It certainly looks like the meat of the meeting will be behind closed doors.

 

[GenerationW]

During the public part of the meeting, can the public ask questions at any point, or just watch?