Mayor-elect Rob Ford is backing further from campaign musings about “phasing out” streetcars, saying if cancelling a $1.25 billion order for a replacement fleet “is going to cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg, then obviously we can’t do it.”

Ford, who takes office Dec. 1, made the comment Wednesday on John Oakley’s AM640 radio show, after saying on another show any Torontonians afraid of his plans can call him to talk about it.

On Sept. 8, Ford told the Toronto Sun: “I’d like to slowly phase out streetcars and replace them with buses. Streetcars congest traffic . . . that is the No. 1 issue I hear.” His deputy campaign manager, Nick Kouvalis, suggested replacing streetcars with buses could take a decade.

But on Tuesday, Ford’s brother Doug, his campaign manager and replacement as councillor in Ward 2, told the Star they have no plans to “start yanking up streetcars and throwing them in the lake.”

Oakley asked Ford about cancellation fees or penalties if Toronto scraps the $1.25 billion contract with Bombardier for 204 streetcars to replace the existing fleet. The city has committed to pay two-thirds of the cost, with the Ontario government paying the rest.

“I’m going to have to sit down with Mr. (Ontario Premier Dalton) McGuinty. I talked to Mr. McGuinty two nights ago and we’re going to be setting up a meeting and taking it from there,” Ford said.

“We’re going to see — if it’s going to cost the taxpayers an arm and a leg, then obviously we can’t do it, but we’ll see what we can do.”

Asked if he thinks McGuinty will “play ball” with him on transit, Ford replied: “I’m sure he will. He has to face the voters” in a provincial election next October.

McGuinty said he remains open to discussing future transit plans with Ford.

“My job is to listen. We’ve got a new council . . . the people have spoken,” the premier said Wednesday.

Ford’s $4.7 billion transit blueprint proposes a halt to Transit City, the provincially funded plan to build light-rail lines from downtown to the suburbs. More than $116.3 million has already been spent.

Ford instead wants to finish the Sheppard subway from Downsview to Scarborough Town Centre and convert the Scarborough RT into a subway. He has said he will try to convince McGuinty to divert billions of Transit City dollars to his plan.

Ford also revealed that retiring Ward 29 (Toronto-Danforth) Councillor Case Ootes is chairing his transition team.

Ootes told reporters that Kouvalis, who has a reputation as a hard-nosed conservative strategist, will become Ford’s chief of staff. Also on the transition team are: Mark Towhey, the Ford campaign’s policy adviser; Claire Tucker-Reid, a former city commissioner of parks and recreation; Gordon Chong, a former councillor; and Amir Remtulla, a former Ootes executive assistant.

Neither Ford nor Ootes would reveal who will get senior roles but a source familiar with deliberations said candidates include Karen Stintz for TTC chair, Doug Holyday for deputy mayor, Frances Nunziata for speaker, and Doug Ford for budget chair.

Also Wednesday, Ford was asked on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning what he says to Torontonians who did not vote for him and are afraid that “some of the things they love in this city will disappear.” He replied: “Nothing’s going to disappear. We’re going to have a clean, safe city and they have nothing to worry about . . .

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“If people didn’t vote for me, I have to convince them to vote for me next time. If they want to call me and talk to me they’re more than welcome to, and I’ll try to respond to all the calls,” he said.

With files from Rob Ferguson

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