M II A II R II K
Senior Member
Don Mills & City Line.
- Thread starter JasonParis
- Start date
vic
Senior Member
Running out of colours for transit lines is probably the least of our worries at this point
M II A II R II K
Senior Member
The bus routes can have black to free up red.
DonValleyRainbow
Senior Member
Cobra
Senior Member
We need 2B & 2C merged
Young Stats
New Member
Actually Options 1, 2B, and 2C needs to be merged as well just for long-term purposes.
Big money is being spent on designing the DRL and yet we are hearing little about it . There's an election coming and the Liberals are currently in dire straights. I suspect there will be a major announcement in the run up to the election indicating the start of DRL long. A nice way to try and keep a large portion of Toronto onboard in the next election. I suspect the Yonge Richmond Hill extension announcement will come around the same time.
M II A II R II K
Senior Member
And the Richmond Hill extension will be unnecessarily completely tunneled as well.
OneCity
Senior Member
I suspect the same. Although wouldnt completely hold my breathe for the DRL long, The Liberals are desperate and they know that even if they lose they can put the Conservatives back in a corner by funding the DRL. Because cancelling another important funded subway line in Toronto would put the Conservative quickly back in the penalty box quickly. That would not be a good look once again and I dont see them cancelling any subways. LRT's may not be safe but who knows the ones left have solid support,
Usually the problem is that the majority downtown vote Liberal or NDP no matter what so there is little incentive for the Liberals to give them the DRL funds as their votes are stuck in stone. But this time is different for the Liberals. They are very desperate and even if they are going to lose they have a chance to stick one to the Conservative on the way out as they know voters soured on what happened after Harris
This could be the most important Provincial budget for Toronto we have seen. If Tory's package is ensured to be fully funded by the Liberals, there is a good chance he's back as Mayor and that puts the Conservatives in a tough spot. No guarantees what they'll do but they know Tory has very good support and will likely work with his plans. Fingers crossed for funding. Lonnnnng overdue.
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steveintoronto
Superstar
I do too! I can't articulate it, but there's been a notable change in the rhetoric coming out of QP. I don't know if it's a radical change in policy being considered/planned behind closed doors, or a degree of resignation as to what it will take to get elected, but something big is up.
It may sound a little abstract, and I'll have copy of this story later today (I don't have Unlimited Access on this computer for the Globe) but I suspect this speaks volumes on the point:
Pearson airport hub a fitting project for Canada Infrastructure Bank ...
www.theglobeandmail.com › News › Politics
17 hours ago - Outgoing Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig says Pearson airport's ambitious plan to become a transportation megahub is the kind of project that ...
If the Libs aren't in desperation mode, they should be. They have to pull a rabbit out of the hat, and that just might be something dramatic like a melding of Metrolinx into a PPP arrangement via the Investment Bank or some permutation similar.
Edit to Add: (Moderator, please edit this out if it violates Copyright. The Globe still has this behind paywall, but ostensibly there's an arrangement with Press Reader which makes a limited number of article views per viewer possible)
[...]
“What Pearson airport is proposing is a really important way to start to think about how do we build out the connectivity between Pearson, the rest of the transit and transportation network and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area,” Mr. McCuaig said in an interview with The Globe and Mail. He said he was speaking on behalf of Metrolinx and not making any commitments as to what the infrastructure bank may or may not support. “I would certainly say it is a potential kind of project that would be of interest to look at what is the best way of delivering that so that you’re getting the infrastructure built as quickly as you can build it.”
The federal Liberals have high hopes for the infrastructure bank, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said will be in place before the end of the year. The goal is to attract institutional investors such as global pension funds to fund major infrastructure projects in exchange for an agreed-upon return or share of user fees. However, Ottawa has not yet launched a public competition for the CEO position, nor has it introduced legislation to establish the bank or decided on where it will be located.
Legislation is expected be unveiled soon. Once that is in place, the government will move to establish a board of directors for the bank. The goal would be to appoint a leadership team with a mix of banking and public policy expertise that would act at arms length from government.
Mr. McCuaig said he made the decision to leave Metrolinx and advise the federal government on setting up the bank because he was excited by the chance to shape what could be a very important national institution. He declined to say whether he would be interested in the CEO position.
[...]
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-globe-and-mail-bc-edition/20170410/281517930980268
I'm loathe to post in entirety, highly suggest those who haven't read it in the Globe to access the link posted.
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steveintoronto
Superstar
I certainly relate to your "unnecessarily completely tunneled" quip, I couldn't agree more, however, I don't think that will happen. There's a lot of projects that won't happen that are popularly believed to be. There's *extremely limited funding* to do all of these things. I'm preaching to the converted with you, so bear with me: Adopting a PPP model to finance, it won't directly be QP saying "Yes" or "No". It will be cold-hearted methodical investment planners, even though the taxpayer will have a share in the investment, who will say "yeah" or "nay". That's like hiring front desk staff to speak on your behalf. The regime in power can honestly state: "We're almost broke, we want to do a lot, and we still can, but the costs and risks must be shared, or in lieu of us underwriting the risk, investors will contribute even more to building what we all need, sooner, on time, within budget and world class".
It may not happen, but it should. The status quo is badly broken, and far too many expect funding to appear out of nowhere. Tory epitomizes this *demanding* funding in a way that offends many outside of Toronto. It offends me and I'm a Torontonian and a Centrist. It's a very ineffective and short-sighted way of getting things done. Other cities have models far more effective. We have to learn from them. That being said, the City of Toronto Act is a piece of kaka, but that's another topic.
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OneCity
Senior Member
Dont get me wrong I find you always make very sound points and have great reason to justify your talking points. Unfortunately I dont think any of that applies in the crazy Political world and Toronto has to really start fighting with one common voice to get our piece. We have let the upper levels off the hook by bickering internally trying to be "sound" and the core has not giving much fear of voting for any other parties.
We have limited funds because we havent planned for expansion. The funds are controlled by Politicians so to say what will be funded is anyone's guess. Like I said Toronto gets the short end because it mostly votes one way. Normally the Liberals have to really work to look pretty for the outter suburbs and if the past is any indication there is not commons sense or limit to the cost they will stoop to buy these votes.
Thats why I say we just need to start yelling like Tory has to get our projects funded while they play their expensive games elsewhere. Its going to cost a boat load in the end being "sound" and waiting longer or just get the ball rolling. We are always "broke" and always going to be when we dont plan. But money will certianly be found if they deem it necessary. Im not disagreeing with your approach to design and priority. Im just disagreeing on how the upper levels will help Toronto deliver its much needed transit and what the Province deems as priorities
The Province really wants to woo Richmond Hill it seems and Tory is well aware of this and is calling them out to use it as leverage. We'll see soon enough how realistic it all is. Tory has big support and both Liberal and Conservatives may latch on to him to some extent. And that could mean actually building multiple projects at once.
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M II A II R II K
Senior Member
If they have to bury it they can build a trench in the middle of Yonge St. like the original Yonge Line was dug up, at least there's still be lanes left to drive on.
salsa
Senior Member
I wouldn't trust the Liberals to keep any of their election promises. Anyone still remember the T.O - London high speed rail thing from last time? Or the all day, two way trains to Kitchener?
We have more transit being built right now than anytime ever. All because of the Liberals. I think that says it all.