There are a legion of reasons why uploading the TTC subway system to the province is a bad idea. It’s more mindless political tinkering when there are far more important governance issues to address if our transit ridership is ever going to be seamless, affordable and time-competitive with the car.

Uploading may allow the province to borrow at a slightly lower rate than the city for subway expansion. But it raises more questions than it answers. How are the fares across a fully integrated system to be shared? Who pays for the maintenance of the subway and rolling stock?

Ford has pledged $160 million annually to maintain the rail network. The TTC says it will average $327 million a year. Its forecast is based on years of experience. The province is deliberately lowballing its offer in what will surely descend into the Brexit of provincial-city politics.

The current value of Toronto’s subway system is about $2.3 billion. It’s one of the city’s biggest assets. Does Ford plan to compensate the Toronto taxpayers for their asset? Or, is he going to somehow expropriate it? How will this upload impact the city’s efforts to plan its own future urban form when Queens Park controls its subway infrastructure?

The more important question is how to best govern and deliver transit services across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The GTHA is now one large, contiguous urban megalopolis stretching from Durham to Hamilton with a population of over seven million.

Instead of one, region-wide, operator there are currently 12 different transit fiefdoms. They compete with each other for funding and political advantage, while struggling to deliver even the most basic transit services.

Despite population growth, ridership on the TTC has stalled since 2014. Its evidence that the current, fragmented area service delivery system needs to be reexamined — and soon. It’s an opportunity for Premier Ford to go beyond mere tinkering and look at how other successful North American cities are making transit more car-competitive.

The premier seems to value the views of the business community above all else. So I suggest he begin by looking at a study done last year by the Toronto Regional Board of Trade (TRBT).

It examined the advantages for the rider of what they called “Superlinx” — a single regional transit agency focused on delivering a superior rider experience. Riders would only have to deal with one fare. The complex multiple, schedule system would be unified. First and last mile service would improve dramatically. And bus, subway, light and commuter rail would all be fully integrated.

The study also concluded that Superlinx would be better equipped to introduce region-wide transit innovation and fast-track transit expansion across the whole region.

The operating and capital funding model developed by the TRBT study uses fares, current provincial funding and other forms of income from real estate and commercial revenues. Superlinx would be able to lift the burden of delivery and funding off the shoulders of local municipalities, allowing them to address other pressing issues.

Ford need only look south of the border to see how far behind we are when it comes to delivering transit services that are more car-competitive. Many of the major cities we compete with for investment and economic growth have already regionalized their transit systems.

Business Insider, the largest business news site on the web, ranks Chicago, Boston, Vancouver and Montreal far ahead of Toronto in their analysis of “The best transit systems in North America.”

Regional transit agencies have been tested around the world in cities like London, Hong Kong and many more. The templates are there to examine, modify and apply across the GTHA.

Metrolinx is the provincial agency established on the principle that regional transportation issues require regional solutions. It manages the GO Transit commuter rail network and is responsible for planning and delivering a seamless, integrated transit network across the GTHA.

But with a dozen other operators delivering local transit in the area, the promised integration has not materialized. Rider experience has suffered and we endure some of theworst congestion on this continent.

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The regional operator recommended by the TRBT could be overseen by Metrolinx. That would finally bring the planning, delivery and funding for GTHA transit under one agency, responsible to the provinces and rider for making transit more attractive.

One-fifth of all Canadians live in the GTHA. Instead of playing around the edges, Ford needs to get serious about moving more of these people out of their cars and into transit.

R, Michael Warren is a former corporate director, Ontario deputy minister, TTC chief general manager and Canada Post CEO.

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