DavidH
Senior Member
Miller didn't cancel anything; there has never been provincial funding allocated for a Sheppard extension.You're missing the point again. Harris delayed Sheppard extensions, but Miller cancelled them.
Miller didn't cancel anything; there has never been provincial funding allocated for a Sheppard extension.You're missing the point again. Harris delayed Sheppard extensions, but Miller cancelled them.
You're missing the point again. Harris delayed Sheppard extensions, but Miller cancelled them.
What would you call inflation from 6 billion to 12-15 billion? Either they severely miscalculated (which would be incompetence) or severely mislead the public (lied). Now I am not directing this campaign at Miller or Giambrone or someone else. We just want to point out that the resources are there to build subways if they are deployed appropriately.
I'll agree that Miller removed the Sheppard extension from the City's request list, but it was never anything more than a unanswered request. Miller then made the decision to accept that funding for subway construction was drying up and to promote an LRT plan as a lower cost alternative.Harris cancelled funding. Miller took the subway completely off the books with Transit City. Both had their hand in the mess that's developed along that corridor.
I'll agree that Miller removed the Sheppard extension from the City's request list, but it was never anything more than a unanswered request. Miller then made the decision to accept that funding for subway construction was drying up and to promote an LRT plan as a lower cost alternative.
Of course, funds have become more available recently. I have to wonder if Transit City might have been conceived differently had that been anticipated.
Drying up? Let's be clear here: this provincial government is spending more on transit capital construction than any other government in Ontario's history. They would have absolutely no problem spending that money on subways, as can be seen in York Region. The choice to eliminate all plans for new subways in the city was entirely the City of Toronto's.
The mistake here is that after he knew that there was more money available, they didn't go back to the drawing board and come up with a better plan. They said LRT is good enough and went off and signed agreements.
Metrolinx is another huge disappointment for not pushing a true RTP which most assuredly would have required alterations to Transit City. Instead we are left with no true northern crosstown route until you get as far north as the 407. That lead to this desparate attempt to strap on a crosstown function onto a glorified local streetcar/tram line.
Do you honestly remember the time line? The money came after the proposals. When Transit City plan was announced, it was something Toronto might scrap together enough spare change to build, with some creative fund raisers or accounting. It was a pie-in-the-sky dream.
Then when McGuinty announces funding, you expect the city to do a bait and switch? "Just kidding Mr. Premier, we actually want subways "
The ever popular Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs theory.
Would provincial politicians really spend so many billions for subways which only go into a few 416 ridings, when they can hit twice as many for a lower price?
Guess that rules out the DRL as well then.
Transit projects don't just happen because they make sense and will help people move around. They happen because they can help win elections.
That would have been a good idea; did you raise it during the consultation on the LRT? Though this is the one good aspect of the Finch to Don Mills connection; that once you've got the LRT to Don Mills, then clearly the extra effort to push it east from there will make sense.Perhaps the LRT should be pushed north to Finch. I'd be willing to settle for a full Finch Crosstown from Malvern to the Airport.