TORONTO – Despite assertions otherwise, the Scarborough LRT remains the approved project under the city’s master agreement with Metrolinx.
And the relief line may have to be built before the Bloor-Danforth line can be extended.
While the city voted in July to discard the fully-funded light rail transit (LRT) plan for Scarborough in favour of a subway, a new report from city manager Joe Pennachetti reveals that without the $1.8 billion required by council’s motion, he is unable to amend an agreement with Metrolinx outlining what will be built to include the subway.
That means council will once again have to debate building an LRT or a subway, without a recommendation for either pushing forward with the subway or reverting back to a LRT from Pennachetti.
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The report suggests the city either reconfirm its support for an extension of the Bloor-Danforth line along the McCowan Road corridor to Sheppard Avenue East, or reconfirm its support for the Scarborough LRT.
If the city decides to push forward with the subway, the report says a series of property tax increases will be needed. In 2014 and 2015, the report recommends a 0.5 per cent increase to residential property taxes with a 0.6 per cent increase in 2016 that would be dedicated to funding the subway.
Development charges would also have to be increased, according to the report.
The report also admits the impact of extending the Bloor-Danforth line is “not clearly understood at this time.”
Councillor Josh Matlow, a proponent of the Scarborough LRT and the relief line, reiterated his support Thursday, “because it makes sense.”
He added the Scarborough LRT is “fiscally responsible” and won’t sideline other priority projects, like the so-called relief line.
The relief line would run north-south and try to take some of the pressure off the overcrowded Yonge-University-Spadina line. According to the city manager’s report, it may become a prerequisite to extending the Bloor-Danforth line.
The relief line would be needed, according to the report, to mitigate the effect that increased ridership on the Bloor-Danforth and York-University-Spadina lines would endure as a result of extending the Bloor-Danforth line into Scarborough.
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