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How should Toronto connect the East and West arms of the planned waterfront transit with downtown?

  • Expand the existing Union loop

    Votes: 231 70.6%

  • Build a Western terminus

    Votes: 17 5.2%

  • Route service along Queen's Quay with pedestrian/cycle/bus connection to Union

    Votes: 35 10.7%

  • Connect using existing Queen's Quay/Union Loop and via King Street

    Votes: 26 8.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 18 5.5%
  • Total voters
    327
If one doesn't support this new VLRT technology {and I do understand the hesitation} then fine but that doesn't change the fact that these new streetcar/LRT lines are costing way to much and taking way too long to build. For this kind of money and construction time, how is a streetcar any better than an articulated bus in it's own lane? The amount spent on this one short line could be used to fund 10X more bus lanes serving thousands more destinations and hundreds of thousands of more residents all across the city.

Considering the astronomical cost of this little line and years of construction, this WLRT is simply not money well spent.
 

Ontario Newsroom

news.ontario.ca news.ontario.ca

Waterfront East Transit: Canada, Ontario and Toronto agree to cost-sharing for planning and construction of a transit line that will serve Toronto’s eastern waterfront, including the East Bayfront and Port Lands.

Current cost estimates set the project at $3 billion, and the initiative would see each level of government contribute one-third of the funding required for planning and construction of the transit line. Canada’s funding will flow from the portion of the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) designated for projects in Ontario. As a condition of the funding agreement, the federal and Ontario governments will not bear costs for any overruns on the transit line project.
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innsertnamehere said:
Awesome! Actually never thought I'd see the day that Ford gave money to an LRT in Toronto..
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Yes, this is certainly a huge step forward but I will only REALLY believe it when I start seeing track being laid!

Here is the City announcement:

News Release

March 30, 2025

Landmark multi-billion-dollar partnership: City of Toronto joins with Government of Canada and Province of Ontario in prioritizing housing and transit

WATERFRONT EAST TRANSIT

Today’s announcement also provides critical funding for the Waterfront East Transit from the provincial and federal governments, alongside the City’s $1-billion investment, to connect across the eastern waterfront to the Port Lands with a new Waterfront East line.

This historic three-way partnership between the provincial government, the federal government and the City to build the Waterfront East Transit will serve more than 150,000 people with more than 50,000 daily trips and is expected to enable more than 75,000 housing units. This project is expected to create more than 100,000 jobs and generate more than $13.2 billion in economic value, delivering lasting economic impact locally, provincially and nationally.

Quotes:

"I’m pleased to join with the federal and provincial governments in this partnership to build more housing, transit and support good jobs. The City of Toronto has taken bold steps to cut development charges on new homes, speeding up our development timeline and investing in affordable housing. Further, we have invested in the design of the Waterfront East Transit. Today’s historic announcement takes our work further and will deliver thousands more affordable homes and better transit, benefiting our City for generations.”

– Mayor Olivia Chow
 
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Now, what's interesting to me, a handful of you know this; I tipped this year to be the year that funding for construction would be announced. I never said it publicly, because there was very little public evidence to support that, its just something I'd heard... 😉

I have to admit, I was having my doubts as deadlines for certain things slipped. I had expected this to be public 2 years ago......
 
As a condition of the funding agreement, the federal and Ontario governments will not bear costs for any overruns on the transit line project.
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Does this condition have a chance of the City reducing the scope of the project by trimming the Union Station loop expansion?

Or does the cost already consider the potential unknown challenges in the area?
 
Leo_Chan said:
Does this condition have a chance of the City reducing the scope of the project by trimming the Union Station loop expansion?

Or does the cost already consider the potential unknown challenges in the area?
Click to expand...

That number includes the Union Station Loop.
 
Interesting that the Ontario news release doesn't even specify the mode, just "transit line." It gives the impression that the provincial and federal governments told the City "Here's $2 billion for transit. Do what you want with it, and if you screw it up, it's on you."
 
innsertnamehere said:
the last update on the project indicated it was "procurement ready".. whatever that means..
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That MAY be true for the surface sections as WT are in charge of them and have been working on completing 100% drawings. The City/TTC are responsible for the underground section where they are NOT nearly as far advanced. Of course, the City has been getting land and access from adjacent buildings along Bay Street as they work on new building plans, the CIBC building has knock out panels of some sort in their parking and the Hub is supposed to provide similar.
 
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