VIDEO: Global News reporter Jackson Proskow talks about the state of Toronto’s public transit system on The Morning Show.
TORONTO- Billions of dollars are being invested in Toronto transit projects. It just isn’t clear what precisely those projects are.
“It is the most confused and chaotic and unprofessional transit planning I have ever seen. It’s awful,” said David Gunn, Former TTC Chief General Manager in an interview.
“There is no one in charge obviously and it is totally politicized in that the professionals have been just pushed totally out of the picture as far as I can tell.”
In July, city council voted 28-16 to rip up a signed agreement for a fully funded light-rail transit line in Scarborough, to be paid for by the province, in favour of a shorter subway line the city hoped to get provincial and federal funding for.
VIDEO: Part one of Jackson Proskow’s two part series on Toronto’s Transit expansion
Earlier this month, Ontario Transportation Minister announced plans for a significantly smaller subway, paid for entirely by the province.
Billions of dollars worth of projects are underway but there are still missing links in the plan.
Whether or not some of the new lines will connect has not been decided.
If subway expansion takes place in Scarborough, as of now there aren’t plans for it to be connected with the new light rail line being built less than two kilometres away. Also, the airport rail link is not expected to attract enough service to be profitable but will not be making stops in areas such as Liberty Village that are in need of transit relief.
“You look back over the last five years and you know some things have changed. So we have a continuous process to try to keep up to date with what is happening out there in the region,” said Bruce McCuaig of Metrolinx in an interview.
Toronto Transit Commission CEO Andy Byford, brought in by Mayor Rob Ford after former CEO Gary Webster’s ouster, said he understands Torontonians are sick of all the talk and it is time to advance with the plan at hand.
“Generally, Torontonians are fed up with all talk and no action. There has been lots of plans talked about but not much getting built.”
-With files from Jackson Proskow
Comments