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Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

Wow. There goes Stintz's political aspirations.

As for Metrolinx, they've done the most logical thing in all of this. They signed a non-binding agreement that allowed them to continue work in the non-contested stretch. Now I almost wish they + McGuinty would just seize control and build the rest of the damn thing.

Far from it. After tonight, I'd lay odds on her being in the Mayor's chair in 2014. 3 to 1 against maybe, but she's in the running now.

I do give Stintz some big props though. She saw that Ford was being an idiot, so she thought for herself. Hopefully in the long run she gets rewarded for having to get herself thrown under the Short Bus driven by Ford & Co.

She told the media she believed she had Doug Ford on board before she spoke. Sounds fishy to me though. I think she just decided to leave Ford Nation while the getting is good.
 
I can't envision what's coming next... Maybe we can spend the billions on rex'ifying GO and build the midtown line :p at least that can be done without the city's bickering. It could be the defacto blood danforth extension to Mississauga, a crosstown line of sorts, a drl, AND a yonge extension to Richmond hill centre.
 
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Far from it. After tonight, I'd lay odds on her being in the Mayor's chair in 2014. 3 to 1 against maybe, but she's in the running now.
Obviously I disagree. She's likely toast IMO.

The left in me sees her as insincere and a conniving opportunist, while the right in me sees her as insincere and a conniving opportunist.

Then again, voters tend to forget a lot of stuff fairly quickly.

She told the media she believed she had Doug Ford on board before she spoke. Sounds fishy to me though.
Sounds fishy to me though, although I wouldn't put it past Ford to lie straight to her face.
 
In any case, Metrolinx is demanding council approval of the MOU - which means Fraud has some work ahead of him. Given how the wind is blowing - good luck.

AoD
 
Metrolinx always expected that the MOU would go before council. The ridiculous part is that Ford could have easily passed the MOU as-is had he brought it straight to vote in April or May of last year.
 
The ridiculous part is that Ford could have easily passed the MOU as-is had he brought it straight to vote in April or May of last year.

That's what boggles me about Ford -- he is a remarkably inept politician. He had tons of political capital after his election, and he could have consolidated his power, but instead he goes and pisses off all his more moderate allies. Now he's struggling to get anything done, and still he doubles-down on his untenable position. I can't believe how incompetent he is as holding office.

denfromoakvillemilton said:
What are the chances when get back to TC in its pre mcguinty cuts format?

The same as Ford leaving office, as I can't see one happening without the other (in either order).
 
Tulse:

That's what boggles me about Ford -- he is a remarkably inept politician

Well, it's an extension of his ways as a councillor - his utter contempt of rules, process and the demands of good governance (i.e. ruling by fiat in an environment fundamentally non-conductive to such) is going to bite him. With this TTC/Metrolinx saga, the die is finally cast - and probably in a way that is even more humiliating than the whole WT episode. That was just foreplay.

AoD
 
Metrolinx always expected that the MOU would go before council. The ridiculous part is that Ford could have easily passed the MOU as-is had he brought it straight to vote in April or May of last year.
That's what I was wondering... Why the delay? I was thinking it had to do with environmental assessments, etc. but I was just guessing.

BTW, I thought I heard on the radio that there is going to be a statement by Scarborough councillors today about the EGLRT, but I didn't catch the whole story so I may have misheard.
 
Majority want Eglinton LRT built underground

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/914333/majority-want-eglinton-lrt-built-underground

Preference for subway highest among Torontonians living in Scarborough & North York, lowest downtown

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - In a recent survey conducted by Forum Research among Toronto residents aged 18 years or older, it was found that a majority of residents prefer that the Scarborough section of the Eglinton LRT line be built underground (55%; compared to 45% who would prefer it be built above ground). Residents living in Scarborough, North York, and Etobicoke / York were significantly more likely than those living in the former City of Toronto / East York to prefer the idea of building underground (63%, 62%, 59% respectively; compared to 41%). It was also found that support for taking the Scarborough section of the LRT underground was significantly higher among residents who currently approve of the job Rob Ford is doing as Mayor of Toronto (75%; compared to 42% of those who disapprove).

"With the recent controversy regarding Councillor Mihevc's release of a legal opinion questioning Mayor Ford's authority to cancel Transit City, the question of what residents want has come to the forefront," said Forum Research president Dr. Lorne Bozinoff. "Based on this data, Mayor Ford has the support of a majority of residents for building the Scarborough portion of the Eglinton LRT underground, particularly among those residents living in Scarborough and North York."

Methodology

The poll was conducted by Forum Research with the results based on an interactive voice response telephone survey of 1,560 randomly selected Toronto residents aged 18 or older. The poll was conducted on January 30th to 31st, 2012.

Results based on the total sample are considered accurate +/- 2.4%, 19 times out of 20. Subsample results will be less accurate. Margins of error for subsample (such as age, gender) results are available at www.forumresearch.com/samplestim.asp.

Where appropriate, the data has been statistically weighted to ensure that the sample reflects the actual population according to the latest Census data.

This research is not necessarily predictive of future outcomes, but rather, captures opinion at one point in time. Forum Research conducted this poll as a public service and to demonstrate our survey research capabilities.

With offices across Canada and around the world, 100% Canadian-owned Forum Research is one of the country's leading survey research firms.

Scarborough Section of Eglinton LRT Underground / Above-ground Preference

'Do you think that the Scarborough section of the Eglinton light rail transit line should be built above ground in its own right of way in the middle of the road like the St. Clair streetcar, or should it be built below ground like a subway? If it was built above-ground, Eglinton Avenue would be reduced to four lanes in order to accommodate the transit line right of way.'
 
'Do you think that the Scarborough section of the Eglinton light rail transit line should be built above ground in its own right of way in the middle of the road like the St. Clair streetcar, or should it be built below ground like a subway? If it was built above-ground, Eglinton Avenue would be reduced to four lanes in order to accommodate the transit line right of way.'

Sounds like a loaded question - "like St. Clair streetcar"; "reduced to four lanes". Geez.

AoD
 
Metrolinx always expected that the MOU would go before council. The ridiculous part is that Ford could have easily passed the MOU as-is had he brought it straight to vote in April or May of last year.

That's a bit of revisionism Matt. The MOU only says that subsequent agreements should be "approved by their respective governing bodies". Kathleen Wynne started out taking a hard line on getting a Council vote before making changes, but she backed away from that and started saying "we respect the local decision making process". In short, I think we have to accept the province was pretty timid in Ford's first few months, and part of the current mess belongs to them too.

That's what I was wondering... Why the delay? I was thinking it had to do with environmental assessments, etc. but I was just guessing.

Ford wanted to get federal money for Sheppard, and he was holding off any votes over the cancellation fees etc. until he could bundle it with this "good news". I agree it looks like the wrong play now.
 
Scarborough Section of Eglinton LRT Underground / Above-ground Preference

'Do you think that the Scarborough section of the Eglinton light rail transit line should be built above ground in its own right of way in the middle of the road like the St. Clair streetcar, or should it be built below ground like a subway? If it was built above-ground, Eglinton Avenue would be reduced to four lanes in order to accommodate the transit line right of way.'

Of course! Look at the way they worded that question - no wonder it was voted 'a majority'.

Again they used "like the St. Clair streetcar".
It wouldn't be anything like the St. Clair streetcar!
 

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