On the plan itself (funding excluded)
1) Extending B-D to STC makes enormous sense, using the existing ROW makes none. The alignment should be, east under Eglinton to Danforth (station); north on Danforth to Lawrence (serving Scarborough General Hospital, a major employer/trip generator); then on to STC. Much better.
2) Extension to Sherway, fine, I suppose, but by itself, not a particularly useful extension when compared with other priorities, I would tend to put this one on the back burner for now, longer-term as part of a subway to MCC, maybe, though, I'm not sure I want a 75km long B-D Subway.....
3)Sheppard to Downsview, very sensible from the point of view of creating redundant access to Sheppard Subway and North Yonge line in the event of a incident shutting down the mid-town Yonge line. Also creates much better access to York U from the east, and to NYCC from the west. Still I would rank it no better than 4th on my list (after the current Spadina, DRL and B-D to STC)
4)Eglinton: This line is becoming a fiasco. Where a subway is required (or will be due to growth) the proposal is inadequate, while in other areas its over kill. Start over. Eglinton WEST of Yonge needs a subway at some point. Build that, no LRT component; it ends at Yonge. East of Yonge, put the LRT on the surface the whole way, no underground part, right-sizing!
5)Finch West LRT; sure, but only if you serve Humber College
6)Sheppard East LRT, sure; but only from Victoria Park East, have the subway go east to Vic Park; have the connection on the surface.
7) DRL is a must, and is totally sell-able in the burbs; Mike Thompson is in favour of it. You need the back-up to portions of Bloor and Yonge, as well as crowding alleviation.
*****
Funding:
What funding?
Borrow most; hide some on private-sector balance sheets?
Not Credible.
At minimum, some new form of revenue will be required, be that a parking tax or a toll scheme etc.
Reducing the Veh. Reg. Tax just creates a black hole in the budget.
Free service for seniors? When we're going to automatic fare collection? Really? How's that gonna work?
Back to the drawing board for George on this one.