Transit City
Encyclopedia
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada. It was first proposed and announced by then-Toronto Mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) Adam Giambrone
Adam Giambrone
Adam Giambrone is a Canadian politician who was a Toronto City Councillor, representing the southern of two Davenport wards. Elected at 26, he remained the youngest member of Toronto council after re-election. He is also a former president of the federal New Democratic Party...
on March 16, 2007. The plan called for the construction of seven new light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines along the streets of seven priority transit corridors, which would eventually be integrated with existing rapid transit
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
, streetcar
Toronto streetcar system
The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission , and is the largest such system in the Americas in terms of ridership, number of cars, and track length. The network is concentrated primarily in downtown and in...
, and bus routes. Other transit improvements outlined in the plan included upgrading and extending the Scarborough RT line, implementing new bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
lines, and improving frequency and timing of 21 key bus routes. The plan integrated public transportation objectives outlined in the City of Toronto Official Plan, the TTC Ridership Growth Strategy and Miller's 2006 election platform
Toronto municipal election, 2006
The 2006 Toronto municipal election took place on 13 November 2006 to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Ontario. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest...
.
Since the official announcement of the plan, preliminary engineering work and environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
s were done for the construction of the light rail lines. Public meetings have been held to generate community discussion. The plan was initially reported to be funded by both municipal and provincial levels of government. However, as the Government of Ontario later decided to postpone a portion of its capital funding to Transit City, which met with much public and political controversy, construction plans were changed causing longer delays in construction start dates. Construction of one of the lines began in December 2009.
On December 1, 2010, Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
, who was elected mayor in the 2010 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2010
The 2010 Toronto municipal election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Canada. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest and...
, took office saying that the first job of the new transit commission to be appointed on December 8 would be to "stop spending money on a project we don't need anymore". Ford campaigned on a platform proposing expansion of the subway system
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
, instead of implementing light rail lines. Ford acknowledged that he will need council's support to put an end to Transit City.
Projects
| Map of proposed light rail and bus rapid transit lines | |
|---|---|
| A map of the proposed light rail transit Light rail Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems... (LRT) and bus rapid transit Bus rapid transit Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling... (BRT) lines according to Transit City. The existing subway/RT lines include the still future northern extension of the Yonge-University-Spadina line and the proposed eastern extension of the Scarborough RT. Future stations to be built, both subway and LRT, are written in italics. Proposed LRT stops on each LRT line are not shown. Note that the Scarborough RT is shown as an existing subway/RT line, although its revitalization plan is part of Transit City. |
The plan originally proposed 120 km (74.6 mi) of tram or electric light rail along seven routes. The proposed network would carry 175 million riders a year, of which 75 million would be new TTC users. The seven proposed corridors have been divided into two project priority phases: current and planned. The Metrolinx CEO, Robert Prichard
Robert Prichard
For the theologian at Virginia Theological Seminary, see Robert Prichard John Robert Stobo Prichard, OC, O.Ont is a Canadian lawyer, economist, and academic.-Academia:...
recently announced that after further study, the proposed project was being scaled down, with shortened routes or deferrals to fit within the dedicated provincial funding for Transit City, not factoring in the province's March 2010 announcement that it was deferring $4 billion in funding.
The Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) was prepared to fund the entire cost of the network over a longer period of time. The highest priority was assigned to the Sheppard East, Eglinton Crosstown LRT and Etobicoke-Finch West LRT
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines, as well as the revitalization of the Scarborough RT line, which was projected to be built by 2020. In addition to the mentioned lines, it was likely that some sort of link would be established between the two lines, so that they could share a single storage facility. The TTC completed the environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
s for most of these lines, the first one being completed for the Sheppard East line. The construction of this line commenced on December 2009 and is expected to be complete in 2013.
Light rail transit
The following routes were to be constructed and opened by 2020. Development on the Scarborough RT line was also considered to be priority (see below).- Sheppard East LRT: This line would run along Sheppard Avenue EastSheppard AvenueSheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
from Don Mills StationDon Mills (TTC)Don Mills is the eastern terminus station of the Sheppard line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is also a "Vivastation" on the Viva Green line of York Region's Viva bus rapid transit system...
via the future Sheppard East RT station on the Scarborough RT line, ending at a planned storage facility at Conlins Road, just east of Morningside Avenue. Initially, the line was to be constructed approx. 5 km further east to as far as Meadowvale Road, but that portion will be postponed as a result of the provincial funding cuts. Construction for the line began in December 2009 with official groundbreaking by Toronto Mayor David MillerDavid Miller (Canadian politician)David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
. The line will be serving the Sheppard East Village, a commercial neighbourhood along Sheppard Avenue East. An extension of the line northwards to the Toronto ZooToronto ZooThe Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the...
is being considered. Under construction since 2009, the line was expected to be completed and opened in 2014, the first of the seven lines.
- Etobicoke-Finch West LRT: One running along Finch Avenue WestFinch AvenueFinch Avenue is an arterial thoroughfare and concession road which travels east–west through the city of Toronto. The road also has short extensions into Peel and Durham Regions as Peel Regional Road 2 and Durham Regional Road 37.-History:...
, from Humber CollegeHumber CollegeHumber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber offers more than 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, post-graduate certificate and apprenticeship programs, across 40 fields of study. Humber serves...
North Campus to the future Finch West subway stationFinch West (TTC)Finch West is a future station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which is under construction. It will be at the corner of Keele Street at Finch Avenue West, and it is expected to open in 2015.-Description:...
on the Yonge–University–Spadina subway. Initially, the plan was to keep the line's eastern terminus at Finch subway stationFinch (TTC)Finch is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 5714 Yonge Street between Finch Avenue East and West...
and later extend the line to Don Mills subway station, providing a continuous route with the Sheppard East LRT, but has been postponed as a result of provincial funding cuts. Construction for its current route was expected to be completed by 2019.
- Eglinton Crosstown LRT: The longest proposed corridor, at over 30 km (18.6 mi), would be along Eglinton AvenueEglinton AvenueEglinton Avenue, originally known as the Richview Sideroad within Etobicoke, is an east-west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Within Toronto, Eglinton Avenue is the only road which crosses through all six former boroughs...
, from Kennedy subway stationKennedy (TTC)Kennedy is the terminal subway station of the Bloor-Danforth and Scarborough RT lines of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at 2455 Eglinton Avenue East, just east of Kennedy Road. The station opened in 1980 in what was then the Borough of Scarborough with the Bloor-Danforth platform, and the...
in ScarboroughScarborough, OntarioScarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
to Jane Street. The line was initially proposed to be continue further west to Toronto Pearson International AirportToronto Pearson International AirportToronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
, but that portion has been postponed as a result of provincial funding cuts. Between Keele Street and Laird Drive, the road has been deemed too narrow for a right-of-way, and therefore the line will run in a tunnel (with underground stations), much like the cancelled Eglinton West subway line. The currently planned route is expected to be constructed by 2020. It is the only LRT line that survived Rob FordRob FordRobert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
's cuts, albeit modified to include an extended underground section in the eastern section and the removal of the western section.
The following projects are currently undergoing environmental assessments and construction were to begin after 2020 and be completed by 2030 at the latest:
- Jane LRT: One running along Jane Street, from Steeles West StationSteeles West (TTC)Steeles West is a planned station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to be built on its western branch, the Spadina line. If built, it would be a temporary terminus, until the line is extended further to Vaughan Corporate Centre...
on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line (east of the Jane/Steeles intersection), connecting with the Bloor–Danforth subway at (presumably) Jane StationJane (TTC)Jane is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 2440 Bloor Street West at Jane Street. It was opened in 1968.- Entrances :...
. This line was likely be tunnelled for about 2 km from St. Clair AvenueSt. Clair AvenueSt. Clair Avenue is a major east-west street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was laid out in the late 18th century by the British as a concession road , north of Bloor Street and north of Queen Street....
to Bloor StreetBloor StreetBloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
.
- Don Mills LRT: One running along Don Mills Road from Steeles AvenueSteeles AvenueSteeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
, then through Don Mills station, then through East York Centre (Overlea Boulevard), where it would then follow the Leaside Bridge to Pape Avenue, and tunnel under Pape for about 2 km to Danforth (presumably at Pape StationPape (TTC)Pape is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 650 Danforth Avenue at Pape Avenue. It was opened in 1966...
).
- Waterfront West LRT: One along the western waterfront. This line would run along Lake Shore Boulevard West from Long Branch GO Station eastward to the Exhibition Grounds, where it would continue eastwards along Fort York Boulevard and Bremner Street toward Union station. This route was proposed since it passes by some densely built upcoming neighbourhoods and trip generators such as the Rogers Centre and the CN Tower.
- Scarborough Malvern LRT: One running from Kennedy Station to the Morningside/Sheppard intersection near the Malvern neighbourhoodMalvern, TorontoMalvern is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 44,315. It is located in the northeast corner of the city, in the district of Scarborough. Scarborough was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new City of Toronto in 1998...
via Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue. The line would pass near the University of Toronto ScarboroughUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughThe University of Toronto Scarborough is a satellite campus of the University of Toronto. Based in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the campus is set upon suburban parkland in the residential neighbourhood of Highland Creek...
(UTSC); and with Toronto being the host of the 2015 Pan American Games2015 Pan American GamesThe 2015 Pan American Games, officially the XVII Pan American Games or the 17th Pan American Games, will be a major international multi-sport event that will be held from July 10–26, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Caledon, Hamilton,...
, it was previously believed that this line may commence much sooner since UTSC will be one of the venues of the games.
Scarborough RT
Part of the Transit City project is the revitalization of the existing Scarborough RT rapid transitRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line. This project will extend the existing line eastwards from its present terminus at McCowan Station
McCowan (TTC)
McCowan is a station on the Scarborough RT line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at 1275 McCowan Road, just north of Ellesmere Road at Bushby Drive/Town Centre Court...
to three additional stops. The first proposed station will be at Bellamy Road to serve the Consilium Place business area and the second on Progress Avenue, east of Markham Road
Ontario Highway 48
King's Highway 48, also known as Highway 48, is a provincially-maintained highway in southern Ontario that extends from Major Mackenzie Drive in Markham, through Whitchurch-Stouffville, to Highway 12 south-east of Beaverton, Ontario. Prior to 1998, Highway 48 extended from Highway 401 in Toronto to...
, serving Centennial College Progress Campus. The line will then curve north to Sheppard Avenue East, connecting with the Sheppard East LRT. A new environmental class assessment is being made to further continue the line north into the neighbourhood of Malvern
Malvern, Toronto
Malvern is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 44,315. It is located in the northeast corner of the city, in the district of Scarborough. Scarborough was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new City of Toronto in 1998...
over a former railbed just east of Markham Road. In the future, an in-fill station may be added at Brimley Road.
The existing service is facing the end of the operational life of its ICTS
ICTS (Toronto SRT car)
The ICTS Mark I cars are Scarborough RT rolling stock. They were built in 1983-1986 for the Toronto Transit Commission.The cars were built by the UTDC in Millhaven, Ontario. The RT initially operated with 2 car units, then later as 4 car units. A test run began in 1984 and full service in 1985.The...
fleet; as trains are no longer built to that line's specification, a replacement is needed. While an upgraded form of ICTS (Mark II Vehicles designed by Bombardier
Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit
Advanced Rapid Transit or ART is the current name given to a rapid transit system manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. The original versions look like small subway cars that typically run in two-, four- or six-car trains, but the latest versions are more streamlined two-car articulated...
) had been considered, the current recommendation is to implement the LRT/tram technology used for Transit City to save on the fleet and track maintenance costs currently incurred by this unique-within-Toronto system. All renovations and extension constructions are to be completed by 2020. However, under Rob Ford, the renovated and extended Scarborough RT will become a part of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT instead and renamed Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line.
Bus rapid transit
The TTC was also planning to begin six new bus rapid transitBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
(BRT) right-of-way lines once the tramline or light rail transit construction was complete, some of which are temporary until a subway extension occurs while one of them is already in service. The proposed routes are:
- along Ellesmere Road, from Scarborough Centre stationScarborough Centre (TTC)Scarborough Centre is a station on the Scarborough RT line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located north of Ellesmere Road between Brimley and McCowan Roads, just south of Highway 401...
to the Durham Region. - along Danforth AvenueDanforth AvenueDanforth Avenue is an east-west arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its western end begins in Old Toronto from the Prince Edward Viaduct as a continuation of Bloor Street and continues through East York until intersecting with Kingston Road in Scarborough...
and Kingston RoadKingston RoadKingston Road may be:* Kingston Road, Oxford, England* Kingston Road , Canada* Kingston Road, Durham Region, Canada...
from Victoria Park stationVictoria Park (TTC)Victoria Park is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 777 Victoria Park Avenue, one block north of Danforth Avenue. The station itself can be accessed by pedestrians via Victoria Park Avenue, or via Albion Avenue, or via a walkway that leads...
to the Kingston Road/Eglinton AvenueEglinton AvenueEglinton Avenue, originally known as the Richview Sideroad within Etobicoke, is an east-west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Within Toronto, Eglinton Avenue is the only road which crosses through all six former boroughs...
intersection, where a station will be built connecting to the future Scarborough Malvern LRT line. - along Dundas StreetDundas StreetDundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
, from Kipling stationKipling (TTC)Kipling is the western terminus station of the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the westernmost station in the system. It is located on St...
to Mississauga. - along Wilson Avenue, from Wilson StationWilson (TTC)Wilson is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the median of Allen Road at 570 Wilson Avenue.2257 parking spaces surround the station in four commuter lots.-History:...
to Keele StreetKeele StreetKeele Street is a north-south road in Toronto and York Region in Ontario, Canada. It stretches 47km, running from Bloor Street in Toronto to the Holland Marsh. South of Bloor Street, the roadway is today known as Parkside Drive, but was originally part of Keele Street...
. - along Yonge StreetYonge StreetYonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
from FinchFinch (TTC)Finch is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 5714 Yonge Street between Finch Avenue East and West...
station to Richmond HillRichmond Hill, OntarioRichmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
. - York University BuswayYork University BuswayThe York University Busway is the collective name for a series of bus lanes and bus only roadways leading from Downsview station to York University, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is used by the Toronto Transit Commission's 196 York University Rocket and York Region Transit's Viva Orange bus...
, connecting Downsview stationDownsview (TTC)Downsview is a station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at the intersection of William R. Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The station is currently the northern terminus of its western branch, the Spadina line. It is also a ‘Vivastation’ on the...
to York UniversityYork UniversityYork University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, which began service in 2009.
The York University Busway may stop service once the Spadina subway extension to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station
Vaughan Corporate Centre (TTC)
Vaughan Corporate Centre is the working name of a planned station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to be built on its western branch, the Spadina line. Construction has now begun at Highway 7 and Millway Avenue, west of Jane Street...
is complete. Likewise, creating a BRT line on Yonge Street depends on the fate of the proposed Yonge subway extension; if the subway extension is not approved, then work on the BRT line may commence.
Funding and costs
In April 2009, Finch West, Eglinton Crosstown, and the Scarborough RT upgrade and extension secured $7.2 billion in funding from the province, while the Sheppard East LRT has received $613 million in funding from the province, and $317 million in federal funding. In November 2007, the TTC provided an updated estimate of the costs of the proposal in its capital budget. The project cost to be paid by the Government of Ontario is $8.3 billion.On June 15, 2007, the Government of Ontario announced its MoveOntario 2020
MoveOntario 2020
MoveOntario 2020 is a plan proposed by the Government of Ontario that would fund 52 rapid-transit projects throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area in Ontario, Canada.-History:...
plan, that calls for a major overhaul and expansion of the Greater Toronto Area's transit systems, including the Transit City proposal, that will cost an estimated $17.5 billion in provincial and federal funding over a 12-year period. The provincial government proposes to provide two-thirds of the funds ($11.5 billion), and will ask the federal government to pay the remaining one-third ($6 billion). However, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
's government is currently not committed to this spending plan. The province's $17.5 billion MoveOntario 2020 plan calls for a total number of 52 transit projects in the GTA to be funded, with 95% of the projects completed by the year 2020.
Controversy
On March 25, 2010, the Ontario provincial government announced their decision to postpone $4 billion of funding to Metrolinx for the MoveOntario 2020MoveOntario 2020
MoveOntario 2020 is a plan proposed by the Government of Ontario that would fund 52 rapid-transit projects throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area in Ontario, Canada.-History:...
project, which included funding for Transit City. Toronto Mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
had expressed discontent and condemned Ontario Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
, who had earlier promised to provide full funding for Transit City in order for it to be built before the 2015 Pan American Games
2015 Pan American Games
The 2015 Pan American Games, officially the XVII Pan American Games or the 17th Pan American Games, will be a major international multi-sport event that will be held from July 10–26, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Caledon, Hamilton,...
in Toronto.
The initial investment was to create approximately 100,000 jobs. The stated reason for the decision is a $21.3 billion deficit in the 2010 provincial operating budget. Standard economic metrics, however, show that as stimulus, Transit City adds significantly to provincial tax revenues, and given the province's 50-year amortization, the plan overall reduces Ontario's annual budget deficit. This caused widespread debate, protests and criticism of premier Dalton McGuinty by politicians and local groups. As a result of the postponement, the plan has since been scaled down and expected completion dates have been further pushed back.
The delay in funding, according to Miller, meant that the priority LRT lines (Scarborough RT, Etobicoke-Finch West and Eglinton Crosstown) would not be able to meet their planned construction and opening dates; work on the Sheppard East line would proceed, however, as its construction had already begun. Despite the controversy over the funding, Metrolinx had still negotiated a deal with Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
for a new fleet of trams or light rail vehicles which would be used on future Transit City lines.
Since the announcement, the City of Toronto and community groups have begun a lobbying campaign to restore funding, similar to the campaign leading to the initial funding. Mayor Miller has condemned the funding delay and requested riders to contact their Members of Provincial Parliament to have the government restore the funding. Other Transit City advocates also petitioned and organized rallies to promote the immediate construction of the projects.
The Public Transit Coalition was launched by common transit riders to counter the delay in Transit City funding. On April 21, 2010, the group held an event at the Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
Council Chambers.
Economic effect
Transit City was expected to create approximately 200,000 new jobs in Ontario from $8.3 billion invested. This includes operation, construction, and economic stimulus effect of spending. Unemployment reached 9% in 2010, the GTA's highest level since 1995.The Ontario government's promised funding for Transit City creates short-term economic growth of $12.4 billion per year, adding in the near-term 2.1% to Ontario's GDP, according to the American Public Transportation Association
American Public Transportation Association
The American Public Transportation Association is a non-profit organization which serves as an advocate for the advancement of public transportation programs and initiatives in the United States. Since its founding in 1882, APTA has educated the public about the benefits of public transportation...
.
According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is a civic advocacy group representing many Canadian municipalities. It is an organization with no formal power but significant ability to influence debate and policy, as it is main national lobby group of mayors, councillors and other elected municipal...
research, Transit City was to produce a first-year GDP gain of $17.3 billion, were all the money to be spent in the first year. After five years the project levels off to add $8.0 billion per year to GDP, with each $1 billion spent on transit adding 0.06% to Canada's GDP annually. This compares closely to US Congressional testimony, which shows infrastructure investment to stimulate annual GDP at a multiplier
Multiplier (economics)
In economics, the fiscal multiplier is the ratio of a change in national income to the change in government spending that causes it. More generally, the exogenous spending multiplier is the ratio of a change in national income to any autonomous change in spending In economics, the fiscal...
of 1.69 within one year, or $14 billion per year for Transit City. Both studies count direct impact of spending only.
In addition to this direct consequence, long-term indirect effects on business costs, productivity, and consumer spending from reduced congestion and travel costs create an additional $14.1 billion of value annually to Ontario's economy. Other indirect effects not measured are improved air quality and public health and reduced carbon emissions from extending rapid transit to 1.1 million more people.
Ontario taxes capture 12% of Ontario's GDP, meaning that Transit City's stimulus effect directly adds to Provincial tax revenue. Transit City's direct economic impact of $12.4 billion per year nets the Ontario treasury $1.4 billion in annual tax revenue. Indirect effects on congestion and transportation costs produce an additional $1.7 billion per year in tax revenue. Government of Canada Bonds currently offer 4% interest for a 10 year term. Transit City's $8.3 billion expansion funding, if amortized over 10 years at prevailing bond rates, cost the Province $1.2 billion per year. With Provincial tax revenues of $3.1 billion per year, Transit City easily makes up its financing cost.
Criticism
The precursors to Transit City — the previously constructed streetcar rights-of-way on Spadina Avenue and St. Clair Avenue — have faced heavy criticism among some local business leaders and residents for taking away space for cars and blocking through streets. The Transit City plan partially addresses these criticisms by running portions of the line underground, such as along parts of Eglinton Avenue. Although some routes, such as Don Mills Road, offer wide streets with expansion potential and few cross streets, there are problems with other routes. In particular, there is the problem of implementing a right-of-way tramway on streets such as Jane Street and Pape Avenue. These are arterial roads with two lanes in each direction, and it would be impossible to give transit vehicles a ROW without sacrificing parking space, sidewalk space or traffic lanes. It is for those reasons that the TTC also proposes to run the final kilometre or two of these lines underground, which is why they are not priority lines (because of the high cost).Furthermore, the Spadina streetcar right-of-way has not realized promised increases in speed, likely as a result of design compromises demanded by motorists, and problems with implementing priority traffic signals.
Many of these compromises were repeated on the St. Clair right-of-way, and it is unclear how they will be avoided throughout the Transit City network. Although it has been pointed out that in Calgary the C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
does not have traffic priority in the downtown core, but does have traffic priority in the suburbs. The St. Clair and Spadina Lines are both downtown lines.
Though the provincial government is providing support for the capital expenditure to build Transit City, it will provide no additional funds to operate the system. The City of Toronto owns the TTC and currently pays its operating costs, and has committed itself to cover the additional operating costs. While the Transit City LRT routes will likely operate at or above the average of 75% cost recovery, they will still add significantly to the TTC's operating budget (while routes like 39 Finch East have excellent cost recovery rates, they incur large operating costs from high service levels).
There is also some criticism about the specific routes. The Sheppard line is surrounded in controversy because that line is perceived as being underused, and was considered for mothballing. The light rail transit/tram is proposed to replace the extension of the subway itself, but critics point out that service on nearby Finch Avenue is far more frequent. During the morning rush, the headway on Finch is 79 seconds as opposed to nearly 5 minutes on the Sheppard East bus. Efforts to divert traffic on Finch 2 km south to the Sheppard subway to complete the trip to Yonge have been unsuccessful, as express service on Finch now runs six days a week. Critics also point out that in order to connect the Sheppard LRT to the Finch West LRT, a link will likely be established on Finch Avenue East from Yonge to Don Mills, furthering its case for an LRT.
Dr. Richard Soberman, a commentator in matters of public transit, has analysed the Transit City proposal. He offers the following criticism in a report issued in January 2008:
"Toronto Transit City and MoveOntario 2020 both emerged as preludes to election campaigns. They are examples of ‘top-down’ planning where elected officials dictate what their professional advisors will implement, a reversal of the usual approach in which proposals are generated by professionals, in response to identified needs, for consideration by the body politic. Both the process and the outcomes lead to a number of questions regarding the main objectives and goals that the proposed plans actually attempt to achieve, the a priori selection of LRT technology for all of Toronto Transit City (to the exclusion of other higher order transit technology), and the practicality of implementing true LRT and BRT services in their own rights-of-way on all of the designated routes."
In December 2010, Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
, who succeeded David Miller as mayor, announced his intention to cancel key parts of Transit City, saying "we will not build any more rail tracks down the middle of our streets." However, he was open to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, given that it is primarily underground.
The proposed Eglinton Crosstown line merged with the existing Scarborough RT to become the Eglinton–Scarborough Crosstown line.