The funding Metrolinx requested to advance the engineering seems most likely. I forget what the dollar figure was, if there was one, at this point. A few mil, anyway.

From the vivanext site:
n 2015, Metrolinx released the findings of a Yonge Relief Network Study, and recommended advancing the Yonge Subway Extension with preliminary engineering. We are currently awaiting a funding announcement from the Province of Ontario before moving forward on this recommendation.

Logical to assume this is the funding announcement, no?
Further to that, the Metrolinx report reccomended going up to 15% on the design and reporting back in Spring 2016. If I check my calendar.....yup, time for something to happen.

Well, it would coincide with funding for design work on the Relief Line announced today.
 

Seems likely. Engineering beginning on the DRL would allow for engineering to begin on the Yonge line extension. I can see the province aiming for simultaneous completion of the 2 projects.

More importantly, it takes 18 months for the engineering work to be completed and issue a tender. This puts the tenders prior to the next provincial election but financial close after the election; shows hard progress and clear intent on these projects but you still need to vote Liberal to lock them in. Clever.
 
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Seems likely. Engineering beginning on the DRL would allow for engineering to begin on the Yonge line extension. I can see the province aiming for simultaneous completion of the 2 projects.

More importantly, it takes 18 months for the engineering work to be completed and issue a tender. This puts the tenders prior to the next provincial election but financial close after the election; shows hard progress and clear intent on these projects but you still need to vote Liberal to lock them in. Clever.
Let's hope for transit's sake that the Liberals are that politically astute.

Could be enough for them to maintain a minority government despite how hated they are.
 
Seems likely. Engineering beginning on the DRL would allow for engineering to begin on the Yonge line extension. I can see the province aiming for simultaneous completion of the 2 projects.

More importantly, it takes 18 months for the engineering work to be completed and issue a tender. This puts the tenders prior to the next provincial election but financial close after the election; shows hard progress and clear intent on these projects but you still need to vote Liberal to lock them in. Clever.

Notably, funding for the the completion of the Relief Line Long and Relief Line U design and engineering also arrived today. The RLL was needed to YRNS didn't push Yonge over capacity.
 
Notably, funding for the the completion of the Relief Line Long and Relief Line U design and engineering also arrived today. The RLL was needed to YRNS didn't push Yonge over capacity.

Interesting, I missed that. So major transit spending is definitely a planned part of the Liberals next campaign again; subject to a a recession and other obstacles of course.
 
You win a free ride on the first train on the extension.

I'm wondering if the objective is not only aimed at elections, but at being "shovel ready" when the next round of federal infrastructure spending comes along, likely near the next federal election.

- Paul

I'm sure it's all of that, especially coming the same week as the DRL.

And I hope that free ride is subsidized by a Toronto taxpayer. Too soon?
 
I'm wondering if the objective is not only aimed at elections, but at being "shovel ready" when the next round of federal infrastructure spending comes along, likely near the next federal election.

- Paul

If it was purely driven for provincial elections, I'm sure it would have been announced closer to 2018. Being shovel ready for the feds is definitely the primary driver, but the secondary benefit is having something to say in 2018.
 
Win win. If it boosts the Liberal's election hopes they win, if they lose the election there will be millions of dollars to play with in Metrolinx where ex-Liberals go to get plum six-figure jobs when they are taking a pause from politics.
 
Curious too that they funded the specifically the Relief Line Long and Relief Line U to get those projects shovel ready. Looks like the province has recognized the importance of RLL and that the RLL is necessary for others to move forward. Good on them.

Don't be surprised if RLL and YNSE become centre pieces of the next election.
 
Poor Sheppard. I would love to see how travelling pattern changes on Sheppard Subway after Relief Line Long gets built.
 

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