Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk’s evaluation of Hamilton’s LRT dream is a clear indication of at least one thing: Hamilton has been misled and uninformed by Metrolinx and the provincial government about the cost and financial commitment for a Hamilton LRT.
The auditor general’s report says the Ford government’s $5.5-billion price tag to build and operate the project is “reasonable,” based on confidential documents that her office obtained.
The report goes on to says that Metrolinx “significantly understated” budget estimates and that both Metrolinx and the former Liberal government knew of the bloated costs, but did not share that information with the city, or anyone else for that matter.
So why were they engaged in political chicanery? Who were they trying to placate?
Those questions deserve answers.
Premier Doug Ford feels vindicated that his government’s $5.5-billion estimate has been validated by the auditor general. Liberal leader Stephen Del Duca, who was the transportation minister in the Wynne government, has tried to explain away the price tag disparity by suggesting that all of these government announcements are only construction costs.
But his old boss, former premier Kathleen Wynne clearly announced a $1-billion commitment to build and operate a Hamilton LRT.
Based on the auditor’s calculations, that doesn’t even come to close to even covering the construction costs.
On Monday, Premier Ford vowed that “one way or another, we’re going to get the LRT built.”
But with a billion dollars on the table for a project that will likely cost five times that amount, what are the chances of that happening?
Bill Kelly is the host of the Bill Kelly Show on Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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