QUEEN’S PARK – Flanked by leading proponents of underground transit, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak today vowed to bring clarity to the next stage of the transit debate in Toronto through an Opposition Day Motion in the Legislature supporting subway development. “Subways are once-in-a-generation investments that offer the best return when it comes to speed, quality and value,” Hudak said, noting the province holds the entire $8.4 billion stake, budgeted for since 2008, in the design, construction and ownership of the Eglinton Crosstown line – not just part of it in a conventional cost-shared infrastructure agreement.
“Our traffic is also the worst in North America – so as the biggest infrastructure program in Canada, and one of the largest on the continent, we have to get this right and build underground.” Hudak called on the Liberals to do the right thing and clearly back underground transit as the best use of provincial funding: “Just last year, the Premier signed a memorandum of understanding with the City to build a subway,” Hudak noted. “Now he is not being clear about what he will do.”
Truly world-class cities build underground – not on street-level, Hudak said: “They’ve learned to avoid permanently taking out entire lanes with above-ground transit, further snarling traffic and harming productivity, commerce and quality of life.”
Hudak was joined at his announcement by members of the Toronto Taxpayers’ Coalition and Subways Are For Everyone (SAFE) – organizations that have long shared his view that the answer to the city’s chronic gridlock lies with underground transit.
“The GTA is gridlocked, and it is costing the Ontario economy $6 billion annually,” said SAFE spokesperson Patrick Sherman.
Hudak said that his Opposition Day Motion will compel Dalton McGuinty and his Toronto MPPs to state whether they agree that the best use of provincial funding is to build subways, Hudak said.
“Toronto’s reputation as a good place to live, invest and create jobs depends on it.”