LIVE: Toronto council debates a subway for Scarborough

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In a close 24-20 vote and a major victory for Mayor Rob Ford, city council has confirmed its approval of a Scarborough subway that could cost Toronto taxpayers $1 billion over the next 30 years.

Ford thanked the provincial government for its $1.48 billion contribution and Ottawa for $660 million to “do what we wanted to do from Day 1.”

“The prime minister sat beside me and said, ‘This is the right thing to do,’” he told council.

Premier Kathleen Wynne moved to support the subway when she realized that’s what voters wanted, he said.

In a decision the penny-pinching mayor said kept him up at night, Ford supported a 1.6 per cent property tax levy to pay the city’s share of the three-stop subway, which is estimated to cost between $2.5 billion and $3 billion.

The tax increase that will cost the average household $41 when fully phased in, will contribute $745 million to the $910 city share of the subway. A development charge hike will raise $165 million.

“I’m not worried about over-runs because it’s my head that’s on the chopping block. I’ll make sure every penny is accounted for,” said Ford.