I can appreciate that recent controversy around absenteeism, overtime and declining ridership as it pertains to our current operations of HSR have been topical and disconcerting.

With this backdrop, it is expedient to arrive at conclusions in respect to whether HSR is able to run our LRT system.

In addressing this point, I want to provide information on investments we have currently made in our public transit system since 2008 - $40 million more in operating money, $90 million more in capital, 119 new drivers plus the recent approval by council for 58 additional bus operators to deal with the absenteeism and a commitment by this council to do more.

We are on our third director of transit in the last three years.

Clearly, the transition that has taken place in regard to management of our transit system has been somewhat unsettling and I believe has impacted the quality of service.

As a councillor, I will take full responsibility in playing a fundamental role to ensure that the operation of our transit system is second to none.

I am confident this will be achieved and the current challenges should not be an excuse for not considering HSR as an operator for the LRT system.

As leaders, we need to ensure that HSR has the tools, policies and finances to adjust to the changing pressures on the system.

A systematic approach is imperative to ensure proper integration, alignment and appropriate fare box fees.

Things like ice storms, hydro loss, breaking of rails, economic downturns, water main breaks or machinery breakdown can all contribute to a disruption to the LRT service on a very important corridor in the city of Hamilton.

A truly integrated system would mean that HSR can respond to these challenges to ensure that were not leaving people are not left stranded along this corridor.

Control and management of the total system only makes sense for the most efficient operation of a truly integrated system.

Currently, in the city of Hamilton we do not have the capacity to run an LRT system but by being able to operate the LRT system we can build that capacity.

Future expansions of the system can not only be integrated with our long-term plans but can also be implemented based on the capacity built through the current operation of the proposed LRT.

This would enable us to more readily expand when needed to; to Stoney Creek, Dundas and other areas of the city with the expertise already in house. The majority of LRT systems are publicly run across North America.

Two examples of the public sector providing competitive, cost-effective service that's comparable to the private sector are waste and our water/wastewater system.

Regarding waste, we continue to have a 50/50 split on waste pickup because there has been shown no financial advantage with one model over the other. After a bid process, the City of Hamilton is delivering the operations of Water/Wastewater at $10 million cheaper than what was being proposed by the private sector.

The water quality today far exceeds what it was when American Water ran the system.

The proposed startup cost differential of $750,000 in the first five years to run the LRT is a straw man argument.

Private sector operators do not do things for free. They will absolutely recover all their costs through the operating and maintenance agreement and make profits.

The difference is we either pay now or we pay later but no matter what, the taxpayer will pay.

Any dollars that are generated from an HSR-operated system would be reinvested into the system.

All three provincial parties have committed to the LRT system in the City of Hamilton.

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The provincial election becomes less of an issue in ensuring that the proper due diligence and right decisions are rendered. Artificial timelines that do not put us at risk should not play a role in doing the right thing.

There are strong arguments for seriously considering HSR to operate the LRT system.

Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. Council has a responsibility to make an informed decision considering all "substantiated" facts.