They also substantially increased GO Transit Service, moving from Hourly on Lakeshore to every 30m all-day, and every 15m on weekdays (daytime)
Not to mention substantially going from rush-hour, to 2-way, all-day service on the Barrie Line; and coming close to that, on weekday for the Kitchener corridor (rush hours excepted).
That's not to suggest they couldn't or shouldn't have done better; or that they didn't over promise and under deliver.
But Doug Ford is a very long way from achieving more than the the McGuinty/Wynne Liberals on transit, or pretty much any other file.
Fair enough, but let’s not forget the Liberals
- Committed, but then cut back, Crosstown from Renforth to Mount Dennis
- Began the West Harbour GO extension, to service the Pan Am games, but halted work once the games were confirmed
- Promised, but then cancelled, GO service to Bolton
- Promised GO service to Bowmanville, but took no action to fund or execute
- Declared UPE “on time, on budget” completion while cutting back GO-related GTS scope and deferring 2WAD, 7-day service on the Kitchener line
- Promised enhanced GO service to Kitchener but took no action to fund or execute the necessary track construction
- Promised HSR, completed a major study, then shelved the idea
- Promised electrification, but took no action to fund or execute, then promised to study hydrogen trains instead
-Proposed and initiated negotiations on a Milton bypass, but never completed the deal
- Conducted the design and business case analysis on GO RER, but never funded or executed; suspended procurement to develop a P3 process which has subsequently been found to require substantial greatly rework
- Commissioned a number of GO station design projects, some of which have been shelved while others (Bloomington) are clearly excessive, failed to complete others on time/schedule (Burlington)
- Executed, but then overrode, a new station prioritization analysis
During Ford’s tenure, the Cons have
- Confirmed and begun execution of the Stoney Creek GO extension
- Restarted and completed the West Harbour track signal and station project
- Confirmed and initiated extension to Bowmanville
- Confirmed and initiated the rest of the GTS project including the 409 tunnel
- Confirmed and begun construction of the Finch and Hurontario LRT lines
- Confirmed and continued double tracking of the Stouffville line to Unionville
- Funded and initiated track improvements Georgetown- Kitchener
- Confirmed and initiated the Davenport Diamond flyover and some double tracking on the Barrie line
- Confirmed and continued signal and track improvements in the USRC
Ford has bobbled a few transit things, yes, and Hamilton got shafted, but compared to what we feared when he assumed the Premier’s role, he has advanced the transit file pretty well - fewer promises, but more of what has been promised or confirmed is actually being initiated. It’s other files (urban development, municipal affairs, environment) that are his danger areas IMHO.
- Paul
