[innsertnamehere]

Terms of Reference is usually the first stage of an EA, but is done as an integral part of the EA. This is just purposefully protracting the EA timeline as they have no intention of constructing this. It took them an entire government term to initiate the EA, it'll probably take another 2 before the EA is done, and another 2 to start construction.. They are kicking the can down the road so that they never have to address it.

 

[Allandale25]

Terms of Reference is usually the first stage of an EA, but is done as an integral part of the EA. This is just purposefully protracting the EA timeline as they have no intention of constructing this. It took them an entire government term to initiate the EA, it'll probably take another 2 before the EA is done, and another 2 to start construction.. They are kicking the can down the road so that they never have to address it.

So I guess it will be interesting to see what happens in May 2018 and how they define what work has started? I'm sure I've read May 2018 somewhere. Maybe someone else recalls which link has it.

 

[crs1026]

Interesting that the EA is limited to the Kitchener to London portion of the plan.

Much ado about one piece of the puzzle. Where are we on the piece to the east?

- Paul

 

[Allandale25]

Interesting that the EA is limited to the Kitchener to London portion of the plan.

Much ado about one piece of the puzzle. Where are we on the piece to the east?

- Paul

I might be missing this but where does it say the EA is limited between Kitchener and London?

 

[TOareaFan]

I might be missing this but where does it say the EA is limited between Kitchener and London?

second sentence is:

Ontario issued a Request for Bids (RFB) today to develop the environmental assessment terms of reference for the Kitchener-Waterloo to London portion of the corridor.

 

[Allandale25]

^ Thanks. Completely missed that. Interesting.

 

[jordanmkasla2009]

^ Thanks. Completely missed that. Interesting.

I'm pretty sure they've already done an EA on Kitchener to Toronto as part of the 2-Way All-Day plan. They are just going to adapt those results to GO High-Speed Rail.

 

[Allandale25]

^ Yeah, I guess. I just would have thought that given the speed difference between HSR and GORER and the amount of level crossings between Kitchener and Brampton, that it would require a different, more enhanced, or HSR specific EA.

 

[TOareaFan]

I'm pretty sure they've already done an EA on Kitchener to Toronto as part of the 2-Way All-Day plan. They are just going to adapt those results to GO High-Speed Rail.

they are completely different services....and one may actually impact the other.....not sure how they could do that.

 

[crs1026]

The old EA is here. It would probably have to be updated even for GO. I'm sure it will need more work for High Speed.

Not sure the HSR route is even nailed down.

- Paul

 

[drum118]

Ontario Liberals hanging onto high speed rail promises

 

[steveintoronto]

Ontario Liberals hanging onto high speed rail promises

It's surreal. It has to be code for 'Passenger Rail Right of Way' with a sexy, misleading title.

If it primes the HFR proposal, then I'm for the EA. In the event, when HFR is built, it will be *higher speed rail*.

Ironically, I still have an article on my taskbar:

[...]
The cost of completely replacing VIA Rail's equipment comes to $1.5 billion, which isn't cheap, but the cost of delaying this decision is mounting. VIA provides important service throughout southern Ontario and Quebec, and it would be wrong to let it wither.

Rather than study proposals for specialized high-speed trains in the unforeseeable future, the federal and provincial governments need to step up now and make the investments needed to ensure that VIA operates through the next decade.
[...]

https://www.kitchenerpost.ca/opinion-story/7991231-time-to-restore-investment-in-via-rail/

 

[salsa]

Ontario Liberals hanging onto high speed rail promises

With no intention of actually delivering on said promise, ever.

 

[steveintoronto]

^ Listen to the interview @ 2:40 (time might vary as per users player). Whoa! How much coco is in this fudge? This is the first reference on this I've heard. As to why no print source that I'm aware of hasn't cottoned on to this is boggling. The implications are astounding in many ways....listen to it, and then let's discuss what it really means and the consequences of this on the By-Pass, HFR, RER, and HSR. Forget about the K/W to London stretch for now, as what he states on Metrolinx (gist) "already having jurisdiction to assess this" is profound.

 

[crs1026]

I heard him say (a) expect an announcement sometime soon about the bypass etc (b) HSR Toronto-Kitchener by 2025, based on an expedited TPAP, mixed GO and HSR operation, 213 km/h top speed.

However I also heard him say (c) he hasn't talked to Garneau yet, and there are a number of items at the Federal level that aren't nailed down and the Federal willingness to support this isn't known yet.

What he didn't say is (d) anything assuring that the bypass will be done by 2025. As has just been discussed elsewhere, that timeline may be iffy. So how the Halton line can be vacated by CN and then readied for HSR by 2025 is not clear.

I was impressed with how well informed the interviewer sounded. Asked some key questions, drove to the heart of the matter. Extracted from DD the claim that yes, this is all doable. Here, need any more rope, Minister?

Lots of pieces in the air (an encouraging number, actually - sounds like they may actually be serious about all this) but not much evidence of linearity. Here too I sure would like to see a Gantt chart.

- Paul