Advertisement

Toronto Life - The Wire

The comprehensive index of every blog post, magazine story and restaurant review that appears on Torontolife.com

All stories relating to Public Transit

The Informer

Ford Focus
February 9, 2012 | 5:15 pm

Comments

Things get weird: Rob Ford takes comfort in a midnight ride on the TTC

(Image: Christopher Drost)

After his transit plan was defeated at yesterday’s special council meeting, Rob Ford hopped on the TTC and rode straight into the open arms of his supposed supporters: the good people of Scarborough. According to some late-night tweets from a Ford staffer (who else?), the mayor was riding the Eglinton SRT until 1 a.m., followed by a ride on an Eglinton bus around 2 a.m. We know talking to the people—and occasionally moving their sand—energizes Ford, so perhaps this is his photo-friendly way of licking his wounds (hey, it’s better than pounding back a bottle of Wild Turkey in his undies). Or maybe he’s trying to rally his Scarborough troops while he “forges ahead” with his defeated transit plan—for some reason, there’s already talk of a referendum. Either way, we like the good folks at Reddit’s idea for his next transit trip: a ride on the Finch bus during rush hour. Read the entire story [Toronto Sun] »

The Informer

Political Whoas
February 9, 2012 | 4:25 pm

1 Comment

Quoted: Frank Di Giorgio says something dumb about the “nation’s capital”

This is the capital of Canada. This is not Minneapolis; this is not Houston.

—Councillor Frank Di Giorgio, speaking out against LRTs at yesterday’s council meeting, appears to have gotten a little confused. He’s right—Toronto isn’t Minneapolis or Houston. Unfortunately, though, it isn’t the capital of Canada—even if it often acts like it is.

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 9, 2012 | 4:05 pm

2 Comments

Rob Ford doesn’t get his way at council—so he deems the whole proceedings “irrelevant”

After a lengthy special council meeting to debate the city’s overarching transit plan, where Rob Ford and his allies repeatedly and passionately championed the mayor’s “I’m building subways” proposal, Ford declared that the whole meeting was irrelevant. Of course, what the mayor really meant was that he found the final vote—to support a return to a light rail–based, decidedly above-ground transit plan—irrelevant.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 8, 2012 | 4:20 pm

Comments

Royson James on the political intrigue and backroom deals in the fight over Toronto transit 

Toronto Star columnist Royson James writes the acrimonious transit spat the city is currently embroiled in is a mere squabble compared to a broader backroom plan to “emasculate” and “tame” the TTC. According to James—and his unnamed sources—Metrolinx, Queen’s Park, and the mayor’s office all want to oust TTC manager Gary Webster and to fire TTC chair Karen Stintz for failing to get rid of him (her recent campaign against Rob Ford’s transit proposal certainly couldn’t have helped her cause either). For some of the alleged co-conspirators, the end game is privatizing much of the transit commission, which they view as uncooperative, ineffective and generally impotent. James even offers that Metrolinx secretly prefers putting the Eglinton Crosstown underground, and that the regional agency is actually the one pushing that agenda forward behind the scenes. It seems, as James puts it, “while officials play nice in public, in private the knives come out.” Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 8, 2012 | 11:25 am

7 Comments

Karen Stintz calls for transit sanity; Giorgio Mammoliti calls for the opposite (i.e. a Finch subway)

Early reports from city hall suggest Rob Ford and the rest of council are in for a transit-themed slugfest at today’s special council meeting. Karen Stintz, who started the whole brouhaha when she said what everyone already knew about Ford’s grand vision to bury the Eglinton Crosstown, has already made her recommendations. In short, she wants council to reaffirm its support for LRT lines on Finch and Eglinton, convert the Scarborough RT to an LRT line with an extension to the Malvern Town Centre (as funds become available) and establish an expert advisory panel regarding transit on Sheppard Avenue. Meanwhile, Giorgio Mammoliti—and only Giorgio Mammoliti—wants a subway on Finch. Watch the proceedings live here »

(Images: Karen Stintz, Mike Beltzner; Giorgio Mammoliti, Christopher Drost)

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 8, 2012 | 11:05 am

Comments

Sue-Ann Levy scores an early BINGO on her Transit City scorecard

(Image: Matt Elliott)

Too bad Matt Elliott’s Transit City bingo card doesn’t include a cash prize—because Toronto Sun columnist Sue-Ann Levy would’ve claimed it before the game even really started. In the pages of the paper this morning, Levy’s recycling of Rob Ford’s tried-and-true talking points scored her an easy B-I-N-G-O along the top row, and council’s special session on the city’s transit plan hadn’t even yet begun. Of course, given the rancorous debate on the issue so far, we’re sure Levy won’t be the only winner today. Read the entire story [Toronto Sun] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 7, 2012 | 2:25 pm

Comments

B-I-N-G-O! Seriously, check out this awesome Transit City bingo card

(Image: Matt Elliott)

In their hasty attempts to defend Rob Ford’s transit plan despite mounting opposition, the mayor and his supporters have (rather dogmatically) relied on a trusty set of talking points to do their heavy lifting for them. In a bid to show just how tired Ford and Co.’s anti–Transit City arguments really are—that light rail will be a repeat of the St. Clair streetcar screw-up, that Ford was elected with a mandate to build subways and that Scarborough is getting shafted—city hall blogger Matt Elliott created “Transit City Opposition Bingo” (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). Tune in to tomorrow’s special council meeting—or just grab the nearest copy of the Toronto Sun—and see how long it takes to win! Read the entire story [Ford for Toronto] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 7, 2012 | 1:10 pm

3 Comments

Will some councillors vote for Rob Ford’s transit plan at their own ward’s expense?

(Image: Christopher Drost)

Rob Ford will likely endure another public defeat at a special council meeting tomorrow, this time over his beloved Sheppard subway, the Eglinton LRT and the potential return to a transit plan much like supposedly dead-in-the-water Transit City. Of course, it’s not the least bit surprising that Ford is unwilling to make nice with TTC chair Karen Stintz, who’s leading the campaign against Ford’s own transit plan, on this. We know the mayor doesn’t like compromising, even if the alternative is losing a vote at council. What is rather surprising, though, is some councillors appear willing to support Ford’s plan at the expense of the wellbeing of their own wards. As municipal blogger Matt Elliott writes, Vincent Crisanti and Giorgio Mammoliti are poised to stand with the mayor even though that would be tantamount to robbing their constituents of expanded transit. Crisanti sides with Ford on almost every issue, while Mammoliti is big on subways and wants one for Finch Avenue. That means either he’s willing to sacrifice his own ward just to oppose Stintz, he’s uninformed of the financial and logistical considerations involved in building a subway, or Ford has made him a ridiculous offer to maintain his allegiance. Given that we’re talking about Hot Wheels here, we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all three. Read the entire story [Ford for Toronto] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 7, 2012 | 12:15 pm

Comments

Marcus Gee wants Metrolinx to endorse a transit plan (for crying out loud!) 

After enduring a crummy PowerPoint presentation from Metrolinx, apparently, city columnist Marcus Gee is a little cranky. In the pages of Globe and Mail, Gee argues that what the city needs to solve its transit problem is a nonpolitical agency to tell city council, the province and the citizenry what to do. Of course, such an agency exists: it’s Metrolinx. As Gee points out, Metrolinx was established to provide oversight and guidance—some might even say leadership—on regional transportation planning. Curiously, though, the organization has remained mostly on the sidelines while Rob Ford and Toronto council duke it out for transit supremacy (heck, even Nick Kouvalis is in on the action). Instead of choosing a side, or, you know, settling the dispute, Metrolinx CEO Bruce McCuaig invited journalists to attend a presentation designed to “provide information” and “restate principles.” In other words, to bear witness as Metrolinx continues to waffle. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 6, 2012 | 12:35 pm

6 Comments

Karen Stintz calls for a special council meeting to kibosh Rob Ford’s transit plan

With the support of 23 fellow councillors, Karen Stintz boldly called for a special council meeting to confirm the city’s memorandum of agreement for light-rail transit on Eglinton, Sheppard and Finch. We’d say this sounds a lot like the resurrection of Transit City—but that name died with the David Miller administration, so we’d better not. Instead, we’ll just say this: Stintz’s petition will likely serve as the nail in the coffin for Rob Ford’s grand plan to bury the Eglinton Crosstown. And really, the mayor has nobody to blame but himself on this one. First, Stintz offered him a compromise, but he declined. Then, Gordon Chong, the man Ford asked to make his subway dreams come true, suggested the city fund the Sheppard extension by instituting road tolls, among other revenue-generating measures, but Doug Ford called those a “tax grab.” Yes, the mayor says he has a mandate to build subways, so building subways is what he’s going to do. But it appears council believes it has a mandate to build light rail, so building light rail is what it—and, more importantly, the city—is going to do. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »

(Images: Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Karen Stintz, Mike Beltzner)

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 6, 2012 | 12:15 pm

2 Comments

Local experts blast Rob Ford’s transit plan, turning his government-as-business rhetoric against him

(Image: Christopher Drost)

Just in case the mayor is feeling a little too confident after city hall’s victory over CUPE 416 in the recent labour negotiations, a group of over 100 planning experts, academics and other civic leaders issued a letter denouncing the current state of transit planning in the city. The letter challenges Rob Ford’s steadfast commitment to burying the Eglinton LRT and calls for it to be built partially above ground, as well as for a form of “higher-order” transit on Finch West and Sheppard East and the conversion of the Scarborough RT line to light rail.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
February 3, 2012 | 3:45 pm

1 Comment

Apparently, the Sheppard subway could see a giant chunk of funding come from the private sector

Gordon Chong, the man Rob Ford tapped to create a plan for financing the Sheppard subway, now says the private sector could foot up to 60 per cent of the bill for the mayor’s favourite transit fantasy. Given that Chong’s earlier predictions weren’t quite so rosy, the report’s outlook is surprisingly optimistic, which is good news for the Ford camp. Not so good for Ford, however, is Chong’s suggestion that the city needs to look into revenue sources like parking levies and road tolls (a method for financing the project that Ford previously stated was not on the table) if it’s to begin construction before the end of the current council term. Of course, as OpenFile’s John Michael McGrath points out, none of this is particularly groundbreaking. We always knew taxes could fund subways, and by extension, that taxes could fund the Sheppard extension. Of course, while Ford is fond of saying he was elected with a mandate to build subways, we’re guessing he wouldn’t feel the same way about a mandate to implement new taxes. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »

(Images: Rob Ford, Christopher Drost; Yonge-Sheppard subway, gloom)

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
January 30, 2012 | 4:15 pm

1 Comment

Why hasn’t Metrolinx conducted a benefit case analysis for the most expensive transit project in the country? 

Here’s a bit of underreported news, courtesy of the folks over at Spacing: while Metrolinx usually conducts benefit case analyses on major projects, there’s been no such scrutiny of the Eglinton LRT, which is, um, a pretty major project (as in $8.2 billion major). John Lorinc writes that this means no comparison between the originally planned LRT and Ford’s wonky alternative has been completed; no study of what happens if ridership climbs faster than expected is underway; and no test of the mayor’s claim that a right-of-way on St. Clair Avenue saddled the area with crippling gridlock was conducted. Also, it turns out taxpayers from outside the 416 are actually the ones paying most of the fees to bury the LRT and keep the mayor happy—which is just the kind of disrespect for taxpayer dollars that we would expect to make Ford furious. But, hey, the mayor is building subways because, well, that’s what he says he was elected to do. Read the entire story [Spacing] »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
January 30, 2012 | 1:05 pm

1 Comment

Rob Ford didn’t have the authority to cancel Transit City (lawyers say so)

(Image: Christopher Drost)

Apparently, it takes more than a mayoral “because I said so” for the city to kill an extensive public transit plan. Rob Ford may have unilaterally declared former Mayor David Miller’s Transit City dead on his first day in office, but Joe Mihevc recently obtained a legal opinion—which was released this morning (Torontoist has the full text)—that contends the mayor had no legal authority to cancel the project in favour of his own plan.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Informer

Streetcar Named Disaster
January 27, 2012 | 4:00 pm

7 Comments

Rob Ford tells Facebook why his transit plan is the one Toronto transit users want

(Image: Christopher Drost)

Presented with a transit plan from TTC chair Karen Stintz that would save $1.5 billion on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, contribute to the Sheppard subway extension and bring some form of rapid transit to underserved Finch Avenue, Rob Ford stubbornly dug his heels in and reiterated his commitment to burying the Eglinton line underground. In a note on his Facebook page, Ford insists his own transit plan is “doable,” and moreover, that it’s the plan that city transit users want (apparently, users want “RAPID” transit and they want it in ALL CAPS). He also says that for “100 years, Toronto’s transit system has been based on a backbone of subways” (not true), and that the Pembina Institute supports his plan (it doesn’t). Of course, although Stintz’s proposal appears to be gaining the support of all the right players, we’re not surprised Ford is refusing to budge. If the budget debate has taught us anything it’s that the mayor will turn down a face-saving compromise, even when that compromise is likely the only thing standing between a political defeat and public embarrassment. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »

Follow Toronto Life on Twitter, Facebook and via RSS

Advertisement

Current Issue
Current Issue

Advertisement

Advertisement

Links and Offers
  • Safestchina.com is No.1 B2B Marketplace in buyers' safety providing wholesale Marketplace for importers and exporters around the globe.
  • Play online bingo in the best new bingo sites in the UK for your bingo pleasure.
  • Fashion4us is an online Asian fashion (Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese) wholesaler. Consumers will be satisfied with the original quality and huge discount on wholesale clothing collections.
Most shared stories today
The Dish
The Goods
The Hype
The Informer

Advertisement