Province’s pledge: 4 Transit City lines in 10 years
Letter promises to build Sheppard, Finch, Scarborough and Eglinton lines
After weeks of warnings from the mayor that the province had put a stake through the heart of his Transit City light rail plan, Queen’s Park has confirmed in writing that all four previously approved lines will be built — albeit in 10 years rather than eight.
A letter from the province to the city suggests Metrolinx has come up with a plan to keep all four previously announced Transit City projects, as well as York Region’s express bus lanes, on the map, despite a $4 billion funding cut in the next five years.
“Initial work by Metrolinx suggests that the four Transit City projects can reasonably be completed in 10 years, while achieving the required savings of $4 billion in the first five years,†says the April 27 letter to City Manager Joe Pennachetti obtained by the Toronto Star.
The province had repeatedly committed $9.5 billion to Metrolinx’s Big Five transit projects.
But in the March provincial budget, Premier Dalton McGuinty ordered Metrolinx to cut $4 billion in spending on those projects over the next five years.
A furious Mayor David Miller immediately suggested the cut would mean the end of one or more of the Transit City lines, even as the province offered repeated assurances that the projects would continue but at a slower pace.
It’s not known yet if the five-over-10 plan includes any adjustments to the original lines. Metrolinx plan calls for Sheppard to be built on the original timeline of 2013, but would put the other projects on a later schedule.
Ontario Transportation Minister Kathleen Wynne said Miller is aware of the Metrolinx plan. But she suggested the city could be more co-operative in providing TTC input in the 10-year plan.
“From our perspective and Metrolinx’s perspective we need more collaboration than we’ve got right now,†said Wynne.
“I understand the mayor was disappointed. But if Metrolinx can come up with a plan to get these projects done in 10 years, that’s pretty optimistic and we want to go there. To their credit the TTC has a lot of expertise and insight that we really need,†she said.
The letter was in response to April 14 correspondence from Pennachetti asking for a breakdown of the provincial transit funding over the next five and 10 years.
But a spokesman for Miller said the province’s reply does not address the city’s concerns.
“We asked for a breakdown of the funding over the next five to 10 years. The response we have just received doesn’t do that so, no, it does not satisfy the mayor’s concerns,†said Stuart Green.
Following a speech at the Toronto Board of Trade Thursday, Miller told reporters he has been asking the province for three weeks to put in writing that the $4 billion will be reinserted in the Ontario budget in the years 2015 to 2020.
“I can tell you what I’m afraid of. The TTC is ready to start Eglinton and Finch (lines) this year. All we need is the go-ahead,†and Finch will be finished in 2014 and the first phase of the Eglinton line ready in 2016, Miller said.
“I’m very worried that the provincial budget is going to push the start of construction on those lines past the next provincial election. Then you don’t even have an announcement; all you have is another election promise.â€
Miller said that, on April 7, Toronto presented the provincial government with a proposal that the city finance the $4 billion now, to ensure the projects proceed, and pay the loan back when the money flows from the province in a future budget.
The city told the province the interest costs would be lower than the roughly $100 million Toronto will have to spend on new buses to cope with riders if the Transit City lines don’t get built on time, Miller said.
“They will not absolutely commit to putting money back in and they will not consider the financing strategy which would keep the lines going on now. We offered a solution. It’s cheaper for us to help finance the province for a few years if they’re going to absolutely put the money back in.â€
Metrolinx chief executive Rob Prichard said the city's proposal would indirectly increase the province’s debt, undermining its commitment to fiscal responsibility. If the city borrows money and the province promises to repay it, that becomes part of the provincial debt,†he said.
“If the city has spare funds to spend on transit, Metrolinx would warmly welcome the city's contributions to those projects.â€
Prichard said Metrolinx would bring forward a plan May 19 that will set out how all five projects will be completed on budget.