TORONTO

For the first time in 25 years Toronto’s transit network is being expanded.

The rate of investment from the Provincial and Federal levels of government has been remarkable. Currently under construction is a subway extension to York region, light-rapid transit on Eglinton Avenue and Finch Avenue and the replacement of the Scarborough RT. These investments will transform our city and begin to address the serious issues of congestion and accessibility without raising our taxes.

So why all the recent fuss?

Toronto relies on many forms of transit to successfully serve people: subways, light-rail, streetcars and buses. Mayor Ford would like to shift resources from light-rail technology expansion to subway expansion specifically on extending the Sheppard subway from Don Mills to the Scarborough Town Centre, a seven kilometre project which would cost at least $3 billion.

Although the Mayor promised this project to Scarborough he simply cannot deliver on that promise without a taxation formula to pay for the $2 billion shortfall. Public-private partnerships (P3) require the government to repay the private sector the money that it invested. If city council wants to extend the Sheppard subway, they must approve new taxes, either through property tax increases or by imposing a new tax.

Even the Mayor’s chosen point person on subway construction, Dr. Gordon Chong, recommends the city should raise taxes to pay for the extension of the subway to Scarborough Town Centre. His report, based on KPMG’s recommendations, summarizes the various taxes that city council could implement to raise money to pay for the Sheppard Subway extension. The taxes openly mentioned include re-instating the vehicle registration tax, a parking tax, a tax on the sale of alcohol and a property tax increase.

Other taxes, such an increase to the harmonized sales tax, would require approval from the Province.

Implementation of these new taxes would be required to build seven kilometres of subway but the Mayor has repeatedly stated that he will not support new taxes. This leaves city council with a choice to build 2.7 kilometres of subway or 13 kilometres of light-rapid transit. Light-rapid transit is a preferred transportation option for areas which require greater capacity and higher quality transit than bus service but do not have enough ridership for a subway to make economic sense.

On Wednesday, city council will vote on how best to bring transit to Scarborough residents within a budget of $1 billion: $650 million from the Provincial Government and $333 million from the Federal Government. In order to help Council with its decision, an advisory committee was established to review the options and provide a recommendation to city council on how best to meet the current and future transit needs of Scarborough residents. The panel recommended light-rapid transit on Sheppard from Don Mills to Morningside Avenue.

This recommendation has been rejected by the Mayor. After accusing the panel of bias, the Mayor has now stated that the residents along the Sheppard corridor will get no transit. North York, not Scarborough, would get that subway extension.

In the 115 cities where light-rapid transit has been implemented, it has been done so because it is the most fiscally responsible way to bring transit to suburban neighbourhoods. It has been remarkable to witness the debate in Toronto where the “conservative” position is one that promotes a costly, infrastructure project that is guaranteed to raise taxes by a Mayor that spent the first two years in office lowering them.

There is no reason to delay this decision for more study as the last 16 months provided ample opportunity for the Mayor to do so. If the Mayor refuses to raise taxes, there cannot be a subway extension to Scarborough Town Centre. If city council wants to bring transit to Scarborough within this decade only one choice clearly respects TTC riders and Scarborough.

Light-rapid transit will bring the needed transit improvements to Scarborough residents and it will do so while respecting taxpayers.