[ehlow]

Have you ever been to Yonge and Steeles at peak hour on a weekday? This isn't a theoretical future neighbourhood. It's actually been there since the 1800s. I know that's a tongue n cheek comment, but in reality it's been an established neighbourhood for quite a while, the Yonge Subway isn't some theoretical future case scenario it's real and the ridership is real. You can't say not to extend the subway because it doesn't have the ridership then say not to extend it because it will overcrowd the line downtown, that's two contradicting statements that have and are being thrown around.

I think subway extension to Steeles is definitely needed. Up to highway 7 I'm not as sure about, I haven't decided yet.

The "theoretical" comment is referring to building subways into empty fields and then showing renderings of future condos to justify it like Vaughan station on the Spadina line.

 

[Solid Snake]

Have you ever been to Yonge and Steeles at peak hour on a weekday? This isn't a theoretical future neighbourhood. It's actually been there since the 1800s. I know that's a tongue n cheek comment, but in reality it's been an established neighbourhood for quite a while, the Yonge Subway isn't some theoretical future case scenario it's real and the ridership is real. You can't say not to extend the subway because it doesn't have the ridership then say not to extend it because it will overcrowd the line downtown, that's two contradicting statements that have and are being thrown around.

From the City of Toronto's perspective, a subway to Steeles would help relieve the congestion on Yonge between Steeles and Finch. Hate it all you want, it isn't Toronto's mandate to worry about congestion on Yonge north of Steeles

 

[BMO]

Man this thread seriously makes me loose faith in our region ever working together and having an integrated solution. You guys are obviously free to your opinions and you bring up some valid points, it's unfortunate there's so much of a backlash around extending the system outwards. If you can propose a solution that doesn't require me to commute for upwards of 1-1.5hrs per direction from Bathurst Clark to College and University please let me and the government know. I'm all for improving transit for everyone.

 

[Solid Snake]

man this thread seriously makes me loose faith in our region ever working together and having an integrated solution. You guys are obviously free to your opinions and you bring up some valid points, it's unfortunate there's so much of a backlash around extending the system outwards. If you can propose a solution that doesn't require me to commute for upwards of 1-1.5hrs per direction from bathurst clark to college and university please let me and the government know. I'm all for improving transit for everyone.

GO RER will help accomplish that. Now, ho fast you get to a GO station from your home is YRT's responsibility and mandate. More BRT, LRT's or YRT subways/skytrain if they even wish it.

 

[BMO]

my concern with building transit to these areas is that it simply encourages people to continue to move there. People should have to make a decision that if transit is going to be important then they have to move to a place with an existing subway or a GO train line. Don't move somewhere with nothing and then cause a fight that there isn't transit there. I use to live in the entertainment district and I thought it was crazy when people moved in the area and complained about the clubs. What were you thinking when you moved in. Similarly don't buy a house in no mans land and complain for transit that isn't meant for the such small densities when there are places in the city which are above capacity, meet the density demands and dont have any shovels in the ground for transit.

C'mon...not everyone gets to choose where they want to live. We all have budgets and reality to take into account. That's a bit unfair. I agree there are people who like to live outside of the city (and there are a lot) but there is still a good chunk of people who move to the suburbs because they have to (let's not forget Scarborough, Etobicoke, North York were all the equivalent of York Region at one point).

 

[ehlow]

Man this thread seriously makes me loose faith in our region ever working together and having an integrated solution. You guys are obviously free to your opinions and you bring up some valid points, it's unfortunate there's so much of a backlash around extending the system outwards. If you can propose a solution that doesn't require me to commute for upwards of 1-1.5hrs per direction from Bathurst Clark to College and University please let me and the government know. I'm all for improving transit for everyone.

So that's near Bathurst & Steeles it seems. The Yonge north extension to Steeles could help with that trip, but it won't cut it in half or anything.

For long distance aka regional travel I feel GO RER mixed with good local service is the best way to make long distance transit trips faster & more practical.

For very long distance trips subways are too slow, so ideally you'd take local transit to the nearest GO station, have a rapid-transit like experience on GO to the nearest stop to your destination, then take the bus/LRT/subway to your final destination.

To me better GO service that's integrated with local transit seems like the most viable way to make long distance commutes better. In your case I think the Yonge to Steeles extension is the best bet. But even if they start tomorrow it takes many years to build, and bus service will be made even worse by the construction.

Sorry, but if getting to College & University from Steeles & Bathurst fast is a priority for you, I don't see anything in the short term to make it better. (Obviously there's always the possibility of moving, but that's your personal choice).

 

[BMO]

GO RER will help accomplish that. Now, ho fast you get to a GO station from your home is YRT's responsibility and mandate. More BRT, LRT's or YRT subways/skytrain if they even wish it.

You know what really bothers me? is this assumption that York Region wouldn't pay for the transit. The TTC has forced York Region to maintain the status quo for the Spadina extension. so that riders will have to pay a double fair to transfer to the spadina line. If York Region residents can put up with the highest bus fares in North America we can put up with paying for the 2 or 3km of subway that extends past Steeles. We already do this with TTC buses that extend north of Toronto. We pay the operating costs.

Please show me a single news article or legitimate information stating that York Region wouldn't pay their fair share?

 

[sixrings]

C'mon...not everyone gets to choose where they want to live. We all have budgets and reality to take into account. That's a bit unfair. I agree there are people who like to live outside of the city (and there are a lot) but there is still a good chunk of people who move to the suburbs because they have to (let's not forget Scarborough, Etobicoke, North York were all the equivalent of York Region at one point).

Amazingly the average a person lives in one place is 7 years. So for the most part people choose where they want to live based on priorities. My wife and I bought our house close to Eglinton West station because we thought transit was a priority and having one LRT line and one Subway line was critical to how we thought we would live in the future. I do drive BTW. Anyways we bought a 1000sq ft house for the same price that we could have bought 2500sq ft in Mississauga and some people looked at us like we were crazy. But we never complain about transit access.

 

[ehlow]

Amazingly the average a person lives in one place is 7 years. So for the most part people choose where they want to live based on priorities. My wife and I bought our house close to Eglinton West station because we thought transit was a priority and having one LRT line and one Subway line was critical to how we thought we would live in the future. I do drive BTW. Anyways we bought a 1000sq ft house for the same price that we could have bought 2500sq ft in Mississauga and some people looked at us like we were crazy. But we never complain about transit access.

Very nice location choice as an investment. Not only do you have a subway going downtown, but the future Eglinton crosstown line.

Of course, you will have to put up with construction for the next 6 years, just like me and everyone else near Eglinton.

 

[BMO]

Amazingly the average a person lives in one place is 7 years. So for the most part people choose where they want to live based on priorities. My wife and I bought our house close to Eglinton West station because we thought transit was a priority and having one LRT line and one Subway line was critical to how we thought we would live in the future. I do drive BTW. Anyways we bought a 1000sq ft house for the same price that we could have bought 2500sq ft in Mississauga and some people looked at us like we were crazy. But we never complain about transit access.

I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way (because of course everyone's living situation is different), and if you don't mind me asking, but did you make that purchase based on eventually seeing yourself having kids in the future?

That's a great location, I've been looking for somewhere around there.

 

[rbt]

Toronto taxes might be lower but for 500k in Toronto you get a semi or a townhouse. So essentially we might be paying lower taxes but because of the crazy property values they are still high.

Not all that high. Taxes collected per capita by Municipality of Toronto aren't way off the average, or even the highest, in the GTA although the LTT and garbage fees might put it into the top category.

IMO, it's a fair trade for the reduced direct costs and most households receive.

But yeah, Toronto isn't magically or significantly cheaper than other areas.

 

[ShonTron]

Not all that high. Taxes collected per capita by Municipality of Toronto aren't way off the average, or even the highest, in the GTA although the LTT did bring it up significantly.

IMO, it's a fair trade for the reduced direct costs. King County has the highest property taxes per capita and you still need to have a car (often 1 per adult resident) for basic transportation.

King County, Washington?
Depending on where you live (parts of Seattle and even some parts of the inner ring suburbs like Bellevue) you can get around just fine without owning a car.

 

[sixrings]

Very nice location choice as an investment. Not only do you have a subway going downtown, but the future Eglinton crosstown line.

Of course, you will have to put up with construction for the next 6 years, just like me and everyone else near Eglinton.

I love our place. The walk to the subway station is shorter then most peoples walk to their bus stop. The place isn't huge but its big enough for 2 kids or less. Instead I watch TLC at night and people when shopping for their houses in the burbs are looking for a cinema room, a pool table room, a three car garage, a library, a play room, a wrapping presents room SMH. Anyways people say all the time that its the price of houses which stop them from buying in Toronto so we should be sympathetic and build more transit to no where. When in reality people want to buy the equivalent of MTV Cribs on middle income budgets.

 

[sixrings]

I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way (because of course everyone's living situation is different), and if you don't mind me asking, but did you make that purchase based on eventually seeing yourself having kids in the future?

That's a great location, I've been looking for somewhere around there.

Yes but I guess Im on the strange side. It seems that everyone these days who has 2 kids buy a MiniVan. A minivan is for 7 people NOT 4. Similarly a 2500 sq ft suburban house isn't needed for a family. We have three bedrooms and even if we only had two there is this amazing thing called a bunk bed.

 

[BMO]

Yes but I guess Im on the strange side. It seems that everyone these days who has 2 kids buy a MiniVan. A minivan is for 7 people NOT 4. Similarly a 2500 sq ft suburban house isn't needed for a family. We have three bedrooms and even if we only had two there is this amazing thing called a bunk bed.

Fair enough, I would suppose you're an exception rather than the standard, though. Especially if you take into account neighbourhoods closer to the CBD. There's definitely a lack of affordable family housing.