Transit

Tuesday January 21, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday January 21, 2020

GO Transit expansion turning out to be a bumpy ride

It is too early to say GO Transit’s planned expansion might be coming off the rails. But it’s not too early to worry about whether the timing and the scope of the expansion could be in doubt.

December 21, 2019

The GO Expansion plan is intended to transform what is essentially a commuter railway into an all-day, two-way transit network with service as frequent as every 15 minutes in core areas. When fully rolled out the expansion could boost ridership from current levels of about 70 million to 200 million by 2055. It also involves electrification of core parts of the transit network.

According to documents obtained by our sister paper, The Toronto Star, provincial transit agency Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario (the agency responsible for delivering major public infrastructure projects) are being compelled to reconsider how the procurement process for the expansion is working. Companies in charge of executing the expansion are raising concerns about how the province is contracting out the work, and the amount of risk private sector bidders are being asked to assume through the public-private partnership model being employed.

September 25, 2008

The leaked documents also warn that changing procurement procedures at this point could delay the final phase of the expansion which is supposed to be complete by 2025.

Obviously, this is a big deal for the GTA which is still the heartland of GO Transit, but the threat of delays should also concern more peripheral areas such as Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo Region and Peterborough, all targets for commuters fleeing GTA prices and congestion.

What, if any, impact will the procurement concerns have on the scope and timing of the project? We don’t know, because GO and Infrastructure Ontario aren’t saying, but it is telling that Infrastructure Ontario would not confirm whether the final phase will be completed as planned and on time. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Wednesday December 18, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday December 18, 2019

Tory ‘optimistic’ about Ford government transit funding despite Hamilton LRT cancellation

October 20, 2018

Mayor John Tory says he’s “optimistic” Toronto’s transit expansion projects will move forward with support from the province despite the Doug Ford government’s abrupt move to cancel funding for an LRT line in downtown Hamilton.

Tory said Tuesday morning that he spoke with the premier about the suite of new transit projects planned for Toronto as recently as this weekend.

“I can, for the moment … say that the premier is as committed as I am to move forward, to get that transit built,” Tory told reporters, calling Ford’s dedication to the projects “absolute.”

In October, the city and the province agreed on a plan that would see Queen’s Park handle the capital costs of building four major transit initiatives, including the nearly 15-km Ontario Line; a three-stop Scarborough subway extension; an expansion of Line 1 north to Richmond Hill and a westward extension of the Eglinton Crosstown.

April 7, 2018

The projects are currently estimated to cost about $28.5 billion, with funding from all three levels government — though Toronto’s City Manager Chris Murray recently warned those costs could easily balloon as details are nailed down.

There are also ongoing projects not included in the newest expansion that require buy-in from the province, such as the Finch West LRT, which is in the early stages of construction.

Caroline Mulroney, Ontario’s transportation minister, blamed the previous Liberal government for the decision to stop the project. She told CBC Toronto on Monday that a third-party analysis found the project would cost several times more than the $1 billion the Liberals had estimated.

She later admitted, under questioning from reporters, that the current government had included 30 years worth of operating and maintenance expenses in its re-assessment of the project’s cost.

In an email to CBC Toronto on Tuesday, Callum Elder, spokesperson for Ontario’s transportation ministry, said Toronto residents should have confidence that the province will uphold its funding commitments for transit projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. (CBC)

Ontario, Hamilton, LRT, transit, Christmas, stocking, fireplace, Doug Ford, Santa Claus

Tuesday December 17, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday December 17, 2019

A ‘betrayal’ of the City of Hamilton — Ontario pulls out of LRT

Doug Ford’s Tory government abruptly cancelled Hamilton’s LRT project Monday blaming billions of dollars in budget overruns — then teased $1 billion in transportation makeup cash, instead.

Hamilton LRT Gallery

Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney gave up on a public announcement of the bombshell news after a crowd of residents and council members — including Mayor Fred Eisenberger — crashed a downtown Hamilton press briefing.

A visibly upset Eisenberger then took over proceedings and told the crowd the Tory government had killed the long-planned project in a “betrayal of the City of Hamilton.”

The mayor pointed out Premier Doug Ford publicly committed to the project — with the memorable quote “he wants an LRT, he’s going to get an LRT” — just weeks after the pro-light rail mayor won a convincing municipal election victory in late 2018.

“That was a lie and they’ve been angling to cut this project ever since,” Eisenberger said.

In a phone call Monday, Mulroney said she understood she was delivering “difficult news,” but emphasized the province cannot forge ahead with a project it now believes will cost $5.5 billion over 30 years.

The minister also reiterated the province’s $1-billion commitment to transportation in the city remains — but details are so far scarce on what the money could be spent on and who makes the decision.

December 7, 2019

Mulroney acknowledged the “anger and frustration” of residents who only nine months ago heard former Tory transportation minister Jeff Yurek announce the $1-billion LRT was “good to go forward” after a funding freeze described as a delay to study project viability.

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce head Keanin Loomis said he gave the Tory government “so much credit” for publicly sticking with the Liberal-approved project back in March. “I don’t know now if they knew at that point that they were going to do a bait-and-switch, but regardless, it is devastating for the economy in Hamilton,” he said.

Developer and union vice-president Joe Mancinelli said the project meant “thousands of jobs” to local construction workers and spurred LIUNA to start building two different towers along the route. “These are decisions that were (based) on a commitment that was made by the provincial government,” he said.

Mulroney said the incoming PC government was indeed concerned about the LRT budget from the get-go in 2018, but opted to get an independent cost estimate “to see if we could (still) deliver the project.”

Provincial officials forwarded to journalists a summarized page of “expert third-party” cost estimates that suggest the “total costs of the LRT” — including construction, financing and 30 years of operations and maintenance — had ballooned to $5.5 billion. (Hamilton Spectator) 

 

Hamilton LRT cartoon Gallery

…It has been a loooong conversation on making LRT a billion dollar reality in Hamilton.  Here’s a gallery of transit cartoons from the past 12 years or so. 

February 1, 2020
December 21, 2019
March 30, 2019
October 23, 2018
October 13, 2018
October 4, 2018
August 14, 2018
April 7, 2018
November 4, 2017
November 29, 2017
April 19, 2017
January 14, 2017
December 6, 2016
October 1, 2016
October 27, 2016
July 27, 2016
May 27, 2016
May 17, 2016
August 7, 2015
May 27, 2015
May 15, 2015
January 27, 2015
April 24 2015
March 7, 2015
February 7, 2015
February 3, 2015
January 23, 2015
December 13, 2014
October 25, 2014
October 28, 2014
July 26, 2014
June 10, 2014
April 21, 2014
March 10, 2014
February 28, 2014
November 5, 2013
October 25, 2013
May 29, 2013
April 28 2013
April 20, 2013
October 24, 2012
September 27, 2011
July 22, 2011
July 20, 2011
September 25, 2008

Not to mention these from 2010 and before:

              

 

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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)