With the best of intentions, Premier Dalton McGuinty created Metrolinx as the provincial agency charged with developing a regional transit network for the Greater Toronto Area, building on the existing GO Transit commuter system.
TTCriders is concerned with the news reported in the Toronto Star that Metrolinx is considering a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the designing, construction and operation of the proposed Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT line. We are concerned about how this decision could impact transit users in Toronto. For example,
Check out the excellent message we got from Councillor Joe Mihevc in response to our letter:
Hi,Thank you for your letter stating your desire for a strong and healthy TTC.
I oppose cutting TTC services and I will advocate increasing services during this time of increasing ridership.
The following are a series of public meetings on public transit. Please
consider attending one of these events and have your say about the Mayor's new
transit plan, the upcoming cuts to 41 bus routes, the City's agreement to use
The TTC's April 6th meeting was one of the quickest public meetings the TTC has ever had. This is perhaps a blessing in disguise given the astonishing behavior and disrespect on display in Committee Room #2 on Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday, March 31st at 9:00am, hidden away from public scrutiny in the Wilson Subway Carhouse, Mayor Ford and Premier McGuinty will announce they have reached an agreement on a new transit expansion plan. This new plan ignores the needs of transit riders in the suburbs.
Email or Call your elected officials today to have your say on Toronto's transit future!
Today the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) released new maps comparing the original Metrolinx light rail transit plan with the one rumoured to be proposed by the Mayor and Premier.
On Valentine's Day transit riders got a lovely note from Metrolinx board member and former Chief Planner for Toronto, Paul Bedford. In his excellent editorial, Ford's critical 100-year decisions, Mr. Bedford provides hope for TTCriders by illustrating how "progressive planning is not the exclusive preserve of the left or the right."
This week the Public Transit Coalition (PTC) released an report card grading some candidates for City Council on a range of transit-related issues.
Candidates where emailed 10 "Yes or No" questions about building the Transit City plan, keeping the TTC publicly owned and governed, and the need for sustainable operating subsidies to keep TTC fares in check. The complete list of survey questions and over 100 candidate responses can be found sorted by ward here.
The following editorial was submitted to TTCriders.ca in response to the
Premier's decision to "delay" $4 Billion in Transit City funding in the spring
budget.