In a major turnaround, Mayor David Miller now says he supports removing a portion of the Gardiner Expressway to revitalize Toronto's waterfront. And he will probably have the votes to get it through city council, according to a prominent councillor not aligned with the mayor.

Waterfront Toronto, the government agency that manages much of the city's lakefront, issued a news release last night saying it would outline plans today to tear down the Gardiner from Jarvis St. to the Don Valley Parkway to help "reconnect the city to its waterfront."

More significant was a statement of support from Miller.

"This is the most practical approach and offers the greatest public benefits," Miller was quoted as saying in the release. "Removing the eastern section of the Gardiner is an affordable step that will allow us to develop the East Bayfront, Lower Don Lands and West Don Lands properly, while enhancing the public realm along Lake Shore and improving access to our waterfront. We have already seen what can be done."

Waterfront backers have made similar calls for years, but the fact that the mayor of Toronto, which owns the Gardiner, now supports the idea is a huge development in the history of the on-again, off-again argument to tear down all or part of the expressway.

The city shouldn't need provincial or federal approval to tear any of the road down. But it might want to approach senior levels of government for financing help, and the province could have a role to play as part of an environmental assessment.

Critics have decried the Gardiner as an ugly relic, and claim it's a barrier that blocks residents from enjoying the waterfront. Supporters say the road remains an essential part of the city's transportation fabric.

A report issued in 2006 suggested it would cost $758 million to tear down the highway from Spadina Ave. to the DVP, but it's not clear how much less it would cost to take down just the portion east of Jarvis.

City Councillor Brian Ashton, who had a falling out with Miller and was booted from the mayor's executive committee last year, called the latest news a stunning move by Miller.

"This will create considerable controversy but I think it will pass at council," he said. "The mayor can always win votes at council, but he needs to win the hearts of Torontonians, as well."

Ashton said a partial removal of the Gardiner would be a major legacy for Miller.

"He's good at stopping things, not necessarily starting things," Ashton said. "This would be a major step for him and a huge leap for the waterfront."

Deputy mayor Joe Pantalone said he understands that a broad University Ave. style of road would be built at grade level to replace the Gardiner.

"This opens up the whole area, and with new projects coming on board such as East Bayfront and the Don Lands, the time to act is now. It's a very strategic part of the city."

Pantalone said drivers shouldn't be adversely affected.

"Obviously we'll have to wait for more details, but when we took down the Gardiner east of the Don River, all figures indicated there was minimal impact. And we're looking at a major, grand boulevard like University Ave., which is beautiful. And because it's at grade the upkeep would be a lot cheaper."

"This is going to be a very expensive endeavour," said councillor and Miller critic Denzil Minnan-Wong. "Who's going to pay for it? We already have a $300 million backlog in road repairs, so it's logical to assume that this will come at a cost. What roads will not be repaired or repaved that are already falling apart?"

Reports on tearing down or burying or relocating the Gardiner have popped up as frequently over the years as potholes on Toronto streets.

Waterfront Toronto, then called the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp., issued a massive report in September 2006 that suggested higher gasoline taxes or road tolls might help to pay for a total or partial replacement of the Gardiner. It also floated the idea of a property tax stream to finance the project, noting that improving the lakeshore corridor from east of Spadina would boost land values and thus generate more taxes.

"Frankly, I don't see where the money is going to come from," Miller said in 2006. "This has been way down on the priority list."

Asked why Miller would suddenly support the idea, Minnan-Wong said he'll have to hear what the mayor has to say.

"I don't know," he said. "He spent millions on the 2006 report and it's been sitting in a file cabinet for years. Now, all of a sudden, there's an announcement."

The Waterfront Toronto board, of which Miller is a member, is slated to discuss the issue June 12. The idea would then go to city council's executive committee, which Miller controls. After that it would go to council, where Miller usually has enough votes to get major programs approved.

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The news release from Waterfront Toronto said a "full environmental assessment" would be undertaken before any work begins.

That process is likely to take years, which could allow proposed transit improvements in the area to be put in place before the project would even start.

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