Vaughan councillor challenges Yonge subway ‘no-capacity mythology’
A York Region councillor disputes assertions that there’s no capacity left for a subway to Richmond Hill.

thestar.com
March 3, 2016
By Tess Kalinowski

A Vaughan councillor is pushing back against what he calls Toronto’s “no-capacity mythology” - the belief that the Yonge subway can’t be extended to Richmond Hill because there’s no room on the trains on the south end of the line.

In an interview with the Toronto Star on Thursday, Alan Shefman’s remarks offered a glimpse of the view of Toronto’s transit expansion from beyond the city’s borders.

Shefman took exception to comments in the Star on Thursday by Mayor John Tory and TTC chair Josh Colle. Both Toronto politicians said it would be impossible to expand the Yonge subway to Richmond Hill until there is a relief line to reduce transit crowding downtown - something that isn’t likely for at least another 15 years.

“What we currently have is Toronto dominating the conversation at all times and all instances,” said Shefman.

“If Toronto says, ‘no,’ or they’re not interested (in a transit project), it’s not happening. That’s part of the problem with the planning in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area,” he said.

He referred to a Metrolinx report last year that shows a sliver of subway capacity will open up once commuters board GO’s regional express rail expansion and the Spadina subway extension to Vaughan.

Last week a delegation of senior York politicians, including several mayors, went to Ottawa to pitch Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the $4 billion, six-stop subway proposal.

Shefman has been working with Richmond Hill Councillor Godwin Chan and Markham Councillor Valerie Burke for years to promote an extension of the Yonge line north of Finch to Richmond Hill Centre.

“I respect their advocacy,” said Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca of the Richmond Hill subway proponents.

“The gridlock challenge, the congestion challenge that we have on our roads and highways isn’t unique to a particular municipality...We have to work on regional solutions,” he said.

The Yonge extension is among the next wave of projects that Metrolinx is considering, along with Toronto’s downtown relief line. City planners currently envision that running from the Pape subway station south to Queen St. and then west to Nathan Phillips Square. It’s on a 15-year horizon but there is no funding for it yet.

Shefman acknowledged Torontonians’ skepticism about building subways in less densely populated areas such as the Spadina extension to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, which is scheduled to open late next year.

“I don’t think the density is there at the moment but it will be there. We’re building a downtown right at the terminus. We expect 25,000 people and 10,000 jobs in that area,” he said.

York Region’s 1.1 million population is forecast to grow to about 1.79 million by 2041 with 900,000 jobs.

Richmond Hill has about 191,000 residents but is projected to have 277,900 by 2041.