Transit

Saturday March 30, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday March 30, 2019

Hamilton LRT back on track after province lifts funding “freeze”

Hamilton’s LRT is back on track after the province vowed to lift a funding freeze on land purchases for the $1-billion transit line.

October 20, 2018

But the city should look elsewhere for extra cash if light rail transit construction goes overbudget, said Progressive Conservative Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek.

Yurek confirmed the city’s light rail transit project is “good to go forward” following a 20-minute private meeting with Mayor Fred Eisenberger at City Hall on Thursday. “Premier (Doug) Ford has committed the billion dollars to this project and it’s going to be wonderful for the city of Hamilton,” he said.

The commitment ends months of uncertainty for a contentious project announced by the provincial Liberals but stalled by the recently elected PC government, which froze land purchases last summer and suggested city council could use the $1 billion in funding for other priorities.

LRT Gallery

Speculation about the fate of the project was further fuelled by the province’s vow to cut a reported $13.5-billion budget deficit and the recently announced shrinking of a planned Mississauga LRT route to save money.

Yurek confirmed Thursday that Metrolinx could begin buying land again along the Main-King corridor, and that he is granting three consortiums an extra six months to complete bids to construct and run the 14-kilometre line from McMaster University to Eastgate Mall.

The bids were supposed to be in next month, but the prospective bidders were “just holding back a bit in terms of getting a clear signal that we were moving forward,” said Eisenberger after the meeting. “I think we have that signal today thanks to the minister and the government of the province of Ontario.”

That delay likely means the earliest construction could start on LRT is 2020, given the need to evaluate bids and reach an operating and maintenance agreement with the city. That agreement represents the final vote on LRT needed by a council historically divided over the project. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Saturday October 20, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 20, 2018

At least one robocall poll suggests a divisive LRT project has turned Hamilton’s mayoral election race into a statistical dead heat.

An automated telephone survey by Forum Research of 1,556 residents showed 39 per cent support pro-LRT incumbent Fred Eisenberger while 38 percent back anti-LRT challenger Vito Sgro. Other respondents either said they will choose another of the 15 mayoral candidates (12%) or were undecided (12%).

October 13, 2018

Respondents – a majority reached by landline – were similarly divided when asked how they felt about the contentious $1-billion light rail line, said Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff. Half said they opposed the project, while 46% were supportive.

And when those residents were specifically informed about the positions of both candidates on LRT and asked to choose between them again, the support split at 43 percent each.

“It is so close, the numbers are almost identical,” said Bozinoff of the survey, which claims a margin of error of 2.48%, with total sample results considered accurate 19 times out of 20. “What it means – because municipal voter turnout is not great – is that it is important for both sides to get out their vote on Monday.”

August 14, 2018

Forum Research was not paid for the survey and plans to release the results publicly Friday, said Bozinoff. The firm periodically conducts polls and offers the results for free to drum up clients.

Bozinoff noted light rail transit was also an issue – but not the top priority – for voters polled in a paid Forum survey conducted for The Spectator during the 2014 election.

This time, fully a third of respondents called LRT the top issue that would influence their vote.

By contrast, 17 percent chose taxes, 15 percent chose infrastructure/roads and nine-percent chose public safety. “Often, the top issue is taxes,” Bozinoff said. “Clearly, people feel very strongly about this (LRT) issue.”

Interestingly, the majority of respondents who offered an opinion about LRT feel passionately about the project, one way or another. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Thursday October 4, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday October 4, 2018

LRT Cartoon Gallery

I don’t think I’m the only one to declare that this has got to be the quietest, and indeed, dullest municipal election Hamilton’s had in a long time. As ground is supposed to be broken for a billion dollar LRT system, politicians are waffling in their support, and advocates for & against are huddled in their echo chambers. Mayor Fred Eisenberger claims it’s not even the top issue of the 2018 campaign. With a new unpredictable government in charge at Queen’s Park saying do what you want with the $1B, which the previous gov’t said was only for LRT, there’s a lot of uncertainty about what is coming Hamilton’s way, despite having spent $100 million, and years talking about it. It’s as if people are done talking about it, on either side of the debate, and maybe an election is the wrong time to whip up voter attention, especially when only 35% of them will even bother to cast a ballot.

Tuesday August 14, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday August 14, 2018

Hamilton chamber continues to prepare for LRT construction

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is launching another series of seminars to prepare businesses for light rail transit (LRT) construction.

April 7, 2018

The four-part series starts on Thursday evening with a session called “Countdown to Construction.”

Chamber President Keanin Loomis says it is planning on the basis that the $1 billion, provincially-funded project will proceed as scheduled, despite ongoing political questions.

The funding commitment was made by Ontario’s former Liberal government.

There has been much speculation in recent months about whether the 14-kilometre LRT line between McMaster University and Eastgate Square will proceed under Premier Doug Ford’s new PC government.

Loomis, a steadfast supporter of Hamilton LRT, notes that “if everything goes right, as I expect it will, we’re going to be facing construction next year.”

The construction is expected to happen over a period of about five years and Loomis recognizes there will be disruptions for businesses along the corridor, but he remains confident they will be “temporary” and “manageable.”

Metrolinx, based on the project’s latest timelines, is expected to award the contract to build Hamilton’s LRT in 2019. (Source: Global News) 

 

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Saturday April 7, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 7, 2018

Doug Ford ‘ploy’ has Councillors second-guessing LRT

Some city councillors are second-guessing their support for LRT following Conservative leader Doug Ford’s announcement Hamilton can spend the $1 billion on other infrastructure projects if it rejects light rail.

Lloyd Ferguson, heretofore a staunch LRT supporter, says Ford’s proposal is “very appealing” and will force him to rethink his position if the Conservatives form the government after the June 7 provincial election.

“The main reason why I supported LRT is I couldn’t turn down $1 billion,” said the Ancaster councillor. “Now if we get to keep that $1 billion and use it across the entire city, that’s a game changer.”

Ferguson says he knows Ford’s position is an “election ploy.” “But don’t you capitalize on those opportunities for the people we represent?”

Tom Jackson says he’ll also consider changing his vote if the Conservatives are elected.

The east Mountain councillor says he ultimately backed LRT because he didn’t want to throw the $1 billion away by turning the project down.

But Jackson says Ford’s proposal giving the city the option to spend the money on other transit and infrastructure projects dovetails with his own preference to spend it on the city’s transit fleet and upgrading roads, sidewalks and water mains.

“I wished all along I had the latitude on how to spend the money,” Jackson said. “If (PCs) are fortunate and lucky enough to win a majority government … this aligns with what my preference has been.”

If, however, the Tories fail to win or form a minority government unable to follow through on Ford’s offer, Jackson says he’ll continue to support LRT to hold on to the $1 billion.

Terry Whitehead, a reluctant light rail backer at best, says he’s always maintained he’d reweigh and measure his support for the project if circumstances change about how the $1 billion can be spent. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator) 

…It has been a loooong conversation on making LRT and enhanced GO Transit a Billion dollar reality in this city.  Here’s a gallery of transit cartoons from the past 8 years or so… Updated October 2018

October 23, 2018
August 14, 2018
February 3, 2015
October 25, 2013
September 25, 2008

Not to mention these from 2010 and before:

              

 

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