After long defending the transit needs of suburban residents, Doug Ford (open Doug Ford's poilcard) now says a downtown relief line subway would be his first priority.

Rob Ford (open Rob Ford's poilcard), who only last month was running for re-election before he was diagnosed with cancer, has long argued that building a subway extension along Sheppard and then Finch were priorities.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon re-announcing the same subway plan rolled out by his brother, Doug Ford said he would build the downtown relief line first — currently being studied from Queen to Pape stations, an extension of the Sheppard line second and then bury the already-under-construction Eglinton light-rail line.

“My plan is clear. I know where I stand. I want subways,” Ford said standing in front of a re-purposed transit map from Rob Ford’s campaign at his Etobicoke office. “The relief line, downtown, the Yonge relief line, I think’s a priority.”

Ford accused opponent John Tory of at first criticizing Olivia Chow for not making a downtown relief line a priority and then announcing the above-ground SmartTrack plan.

Though both Fords and Chow have now accused him of flip-flopping on the downtown relief line, Tory has argued his plan will create relief at choke points on the Yonge-University line.

“He’s a slick-talking politician. But I know the people of Toronto will see right through his sales pitch,” Ford said. “I think his plan is just off track but it’s just too late for him to admit it.”

Ford claimed subways cost “a little more upfront.” Like his brother, he plans to build 32 kilometres of underground rail for just $9 billion.

When asked about the change in priorities, Ford characterized it a different way.

“I believe Rob did say it was the downtown relief line. I feel we can get that through council immediately. Sheppard has to be second,” Ford said.

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