Metrolinx is drawing fire for paying social media “influencers” to promote the Ontario Line, a contentious transit project that has faced opposition from local residents who don’t have thousands of Instagram followers.

In recent weeks, posts have popped up on Instagram from Toronto-area social media personalities extolling the virtues of the provincial government’s plan for the Ontario Line, which would connect Exhibition Place to the Ontario Science Centre and cost an estimated $11 billion to build.

“For someone who was born and raised in Toronto, it’s pretty crazy how much of the city I have yet to explore,” reads a post by Marlie Cohen, who uses the Instagram handle “@kale_and_krunches” and writes a blog whose themes are described on her Facebook page as “fitness, motherhood, lifestyle, realness.”

“That’s why I’m excited about having more public transit options when the @Metrolinx Ontario Line will be completed. It will make hitting up some of my fave spots like Leslieville way easier without having to account for bumper-to-bumper traffic and circling looking for a parking spot.”

The post, which Cohen sent to her 41,000 Instagram followers, includes a picture of her holding a baby in front of a Leslieville sign on Queen St. E. near Greenwood Ave.

Like the other Metrolinx-funded posts, hers uses the hashtag #MXItsHappening, and is tagged to denote its sponsored content.

Provincial transit agency Metrolinx says it’s hired 11 social media personalities to promote its projects. Six have posted about the Ontario Line, while four promote GO Transit expansion, and one the Hurontario LRT.

All six of the people promoting the Ontario Line either didn’t return the Star’s request for comment Sunday, or declined to answer questions. Some of the posts have been taken down in the wake of stories in various media outlets over the weekend.

Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said she couldn’t disclose how much taxpayer money has been spent on the social media push because doing so would weaken the agency’s bargaining position for future campaigns. But she said it was a “small” and “very cost-effective” initiative.

Paying so-called “influencers” to market products to their followers has become common, but is sometimes criticized because it blurs the line between organic opinions expressed on social media and paid advertising.

Darcie Garand, vice-chair of the Lakeshore East Community Advisory Committee, a group that was formed to provide feedback to Metrolinx about transit projects, called the agency’s campaign “very misleading.”

She noted residents of Riverside, Leslieville, and other areas have voiced serious concerns about how the Ontario Line would affect their communities.

“Then to post young people with smiles in Leslieville talking about how great this is going to be, it’s just not true,” said Garand, who lives in Riverdale.

Metrolinx is “absolutely not listening and they’re trying to create a message that quiets our concerns down.”

The agency plans to build a portion of the 15.5-kilometre line above ground in the Lakeshore East GO Transit corridor, which passes through stable residential neighbourhoods east of the Don River. Trains would operate as frequently as 90 seconds in each direction.

In recent months, residents who live along the proposed route have packed public meetings to express concerns about the disruption they say construction and high-frequency train operations would cause to green spaces, residences, and small businesses. Some are also concerned about potential home expropriations.

The Ontario Line proposal, which Premier Doug Ford announced in April, has replaced previous plans for the relief line subway, which would have served some of the same neighbourhoods but run entirely underground. The province says the Ontario Line will be complete by 2027, although Metrolinx has conceded that timeline may not be feasible.

Councillor Paula Fletcher, whose Toronto-Danforth ward covers much of the proposed Ontario Line route, described the social media campaign as “disconcerting.”

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She said she’s worried Metrolinx isn’t committed to consulting the public about the project and is instead “paying people to cheerlead” for it on social media.

“That is not a democratic process, that’s not a community process,” said Fletcher (Ward 14).

Aikins said the goal of the “influencer” campaign wasn’t to make it appear there is more local support for the Ontario Line than is true, but to reach a younger audience than traditional advertising platforms allow.

“Metrolinx’s job is to get people out of their cars and onto transit. Instagram is a great way in 2019 to reach new demographics and ensure we influence their transportation choices,” she said in an emailed statement.

“We want to build awareness and support (early and often) for the benefits of major projects like the Ontario Line ... as this is an important step we must take to ensure they can effectively move forward. As a steward of significant public transit investments, it’s critical for us to get messages out about why they’re needed.”

According to Aikins, Metrolinx is committed to formal public consultations on the Ontario Line and intends to announce dates and locations for them soon.

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr

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