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“There is no turning back, but the fight is not over; it’s far from over,” the mayor added. “We must start making up for lost time immediately. To succeed, we need all three levels of government at the table, working together and fully committed.”

Shortly after the vote, provincial Transportation Minister Glen Murray announced a news conference for Thursday afternoon at Kennedy GO station. A spokeswoman for federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Murray issued a news release saying Ottawa has “failed to be a significant player” in GTA transit funding, and noted: “This region cannot afford any more delays… Shovels in the ground, with hands from all three levels of government holding on to them, is what Ontarians deserve and look forward to.”

Metrolinx, the regional transit agency co-ordinating the Scarborough LRT, previously vowed to cease work on the Scarborough corridor unless council reaffirmed support for the LRT. After Wednesday’s vote, spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins said Metrolinx would “consult with the Government of Ontario to determine next steps.”

Council set a deadline of Sept. 30 for the provincial and federal governments to commit their portion of funding, and while Mayor Ford said he was confident both would support the subway project, other councillors were not so sure.

“I fear that Scarborough residents are now going to be put into the midst of limbo as we’re looking at hypothetical funding schemes,” said Councillor Josh Matlow, who also questioned the mayor’s willingness to raise property taxes to fund the Scarborough subway, estimated to cost $1-billion more than the LRT.

A report from city manager Joe Pennachetti indicated that in order to pay its share, the city would need to hike taxes by at least 1.1% over three years, with a minimum 0.5% increase in 2014. Mayor Ford had asked council to limit the increase to 0.25% annually, but his proposal — derided by Councillor John Filion as “absurd” and unrealistic — was narrowly defeated.