Transit City

Back in 1985 the TTC was still in its prime. Ridership was growing (and was higher than today's levels). There were 1800 buses in the fleet, including Trolley Buses. (We should net out at around 1400 buses this year).

For those of you who like foreshadowing, the Scarborough RT opened in March of '85. The TTC wanted a light transit solution, such as a streetcar right-of-way. The province was very clear - we will fund this project, but we want to showcase the government-owned RT technology for the world to drum up business. We'll fund the RT or nothing.

This year also marked the release of the Network 2011 report. It officially listed the transit priorities for Metro Toronto, with a planned completion of (obviously) 2011.

Highlights:
Spadina extension to Downsview (completed)
Sheppard Subway from Downsview to Scarborough Centre (completed Yonge to Don Mills)
Downtown relief subway from Donlands to Union (never started)
Eglinton West subway to Mississauga (Hole was dug, funding was pulled, hole was filled in)

The price tag over 25 years was $5 billion.

Why wasn't this $200 million a year network built? Politics. The Provincial Conservatives you see funded 75% of all subway construction (the TTC entirely funded the original Yonge line) until they lost power in the 80's. The Liberals would not support Transit 2011. The NDP came to power (although to this day I never met on Ontarian who admitted to voting for them), and even though we endured Rae Days during a recession, they committed to Eglinton and Sheppard funding. Then the Conservatives came back to power. They immediately killed two things: Photo Radar and the Eglinton Line. And all transit funding period.

And that's why the legacy of 2011 is a subway between malls and Torontonians riding buses that were bought by the Conservatives in 1983. And eco-friendly trolleys have been off the roads for more than a decade because no one would shell out money to replace the fleet.

So last week, our new transit priorities were released: Transit City.

It addresses transit needs across the city and spans to every corner. It's very simple: 120 km of light rail transit service on right-of-way. It is a 15 year plan with a price of $6.1 billion (or about $400 million a year). It immediately increased capacity compared to the existing routes without emissions. And the ROW improves travel time.

Transit City represents the most dramatic shift in transit thinking that Toronto has ever seen. It does not propose even one km of subway. It recognises that years of not building cannot be made up with a subway solution. I would suggest I will not see (well, after Spadina goes to Vaughan) another subway construction project in my lifetime. It represents logic.

So, the question begs to be asked - why are there funding announcements for a subway when two weeks later, the subway is not a priority? Did Toronto miss the boat on timing? Did Toronto try to secure funding not only for the subway, but also for Transit City? Is funding for Transit City not at risk simply due to the commitments on Spadina? If this was your money (which it is), would you have paid for Spadina or Transit city?

So let's talk about the $2 billion for Spadina. It works out to about $250 million a year until the 8 km extension is built. (if this was rolled into Transit City, and light rail was used, it would cost about $400 million) Keeping in mind I'm using simple math - this money could build 50 km of Transit City in the same time frame. Spadina, and three other lines.

This my friends is where Miller's One Cent campaign comes in. withholding 1% of the GST equals around $450 million a year for Toronto. There are other priorities of course in the city - social housing is a good example. Conceivably however, if the Province were to contribute nothing, securing the 1 cent will pay for Transit City. It will free up (a paltry) $50 million for other city capital priorities. It will reduce the TTCs capital load on buses (the new generation will need to be replaced by the time Transit City is complete). In short, with a commitment of sustainable funding, Transit City could be a reality. Perhaps it will take 20 years instead of 15 - the key is, with sustainable funding it can be planned.

On the current path, we will end up fighting for funding for light rail one line at a time. And the money will flow when the optics are good. Such as an approaching election. Transit in a sustainable city needs to have a sustainable plan. A shiny new Don Mills LRT doesn't matter much when the roof of Bloor station caves in.

The third thing: The Ontario Finance Minister providing funding for Spadina, which will run under his riding. The Provincial election is October 10.

My general philosophy on elections: I don't give a shit what you did, tell me what you're going to do. Eighty percent of Canadians are now urban. I had better be hearing about transit funding, not expressways and not grain subsidies. And certainly not same-sex marriage.

So Pete, there you go. In case you missed it, I do not support a subway extension. If 2011 had been realised - and only then - would this funding make sense.

For more transit information, I refer all to Transit Toronto which you can navigate to from my Links.

For transit opinions, I refer you to Steve Munro's website. (By the way, I haven't read any of Steve's opinions on what I've posted. He likely has a different view - or at least an easier to read one.)

Categories: Transit, Politics, Toronto