Rob Ford wants subways, not streetcars Mayoral candidate Rob Ford says he would scrap the Transit City light rail plan in the absence of full funding from the province, and try to build subways instead.

Mr. Ford has always been against streetcars, and he said a vote for him would be a vote against expanding that mode of transit. "People want subways," he said today.

While he hasn't developed a subway roll out plan, Mr. Ford said he would look at selling the air rights on top of stations to pay for tunneling underground. Mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson was the first to call for subways and would institute a $5 rush hour toll on the Gardiner and the DVP to pay for it.

"Unless the federal government comes to the table, our only option is the private sector," said Mr. Ford.

Light rail proponents in Toronto have said that ridership doesn't warrant subways, and they cost significantly more.

At a meeting earlier this year about the Eglinton LRT — which included many in the audience clamoring for subways — Transit City staff said the projected ridership along the midtown thoroughfare is about half of the peak 10,000 passengers per hour that a subway demands. Staff also said a subway costs about $250 to $300-million per kilometre, and on average it costs about $50-million per kilometre for light rail.

The provincial government had committed over $9-billion in funding for a slate of new routes, but recently decided to delay a chunk of funding.

"If we get money, I'll take anything I can," said Mr. Ford. "As of now there's no sense in planning for it, if you don't have the money." He mentioned Sheppard and the Eglinton line as two possible subway candidates. "I know there is a push to finish the Sheppard subway," he said. "We could look at doing Eglinton... whatever the people want. This is all after public consultation, the whole nine yards."



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