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Mayor Jim Watson, who chairs the finance committee, said he was “pleasantly surprised” with Laroche’s offer.

“I think that’s a great piece of news for people that want to see rail service go out to the airport,” he told reporters.

Laroche said the city’s proposed route, as outlined in an environmental assessment, confirms that the rail link to the airport is technically possible. But the challenge is to secure the funding needed to make it happen.

“If we don’t get it done at the same time as the Trillium line extension, it’s unlikely that it will get done,” he said.

In addition to extending the Trillium line further south and adding five new stations, the committee also endorsed the plan to extend the Confederation line, currently under construction, from Blair station to Place d’Orléans. A further extension to Trim Road, at an added cost of $160 million, was not included in the initial plan but will continue to be explored.

In the west, the Confederation line would be extended by 13 kilometres from Tunney’s Pasture station to Baseline and Bayshore stations, with 10 new stations.

More than two dozen delegations appeared before the committee, including several connected to the First Unitarian Congregation.

The church has come out against the city’s preferred option for the western LRT extension, saying the current routing through its Cleary Avenue property is unacceptable. In addition to the church, the 2.4-hectare property contains a seniors’ residence and daycare, both of which are also opposed to the city’s plan.