John Tory: illustrates the work that is going on for the city transit plan
Tory held a campaign event near the Stouffville GO line in Scarborough on Wednesday, where work is currently underway on a secondary rail corridor. The project was first approved in 2014 as part of GO’s commitment to all-day, two-way service, though it is also something that will be used to deliver Tory’s “SmartTrack” plan, wherein six additional stations will be built along three existing GO lines, including the Stouffville line.
Speaking with reporters, Tory offered the construction as “proof positive” that work is continuing to progress on building transit in Toronto.
“I am here today to illustrate the fact that work is proceeding. I can say that with regard to the entire transit plan for the whole city. On every one of those projects, without exception, there is funded work that is being done now,” Tory said during the news conference. “In some cases there is not construction yet taking place but in many cases there is a lot of steps taking place that are precursors to construction, including of course planning and design.”
Tory said that when he was first elected the transit plan that had existed in prior years had been “basically blown up” and there was “constant bickering and debating” at city hall.
Since then, he said that his administration had worked on getting transit built “as quickly as possible” and has “left no stone unturned” in those efforts.
Mayoral candidate Jennifer Keesmaat, however, said that in holding his press conference beside the ongoing construction on the Stouffville line, Tory is trying to pass off the project as “as progress on his signature transit plan,” when it has nothing to do with it.
“This is more smoke and mirrors from John Tory on transit and only proves that ‘SmartTrack’ doesn’t, and will never, exist,” she said in a statement issued after his news conference. “Torontonians struggling with their daily commute deserve better than this political bait and switch”
Tory said that he is proud of the work that has been done on transit during his mayoral tenure, including the passing of a city-wide network plan and the commitment of $9 billion in funding from other levels of government to pay for it.
He said that construction on the six “SmartTrack” stations will begin next year and work is continuing on the planning and design of the relief subway line, which now has a preferred route that has been the subject of several public consultation sessions.
“We cannot go backwards. We have to make sure that what doesn’t happen is what has happened so often in the past, where you start shuffling a bit of money here or there and then the whole plan falls apart. That is real risk that people have to take a look at as they approach the election and this next term,” he said. “I am for building, I am for working with the other governments and continuing to do that, I am for solidifying these partnerships and making sure we take the steps needed to implement all of this transit plan.”
The municipal election is scheduled for Oct. 22.
