York Region politicians gain John Tory co-operation

yorkregion.com
May 18, 2017
By Simone Joseph

Toronto Mayor John Tory has changed his mind and is now supporting the Yonge North subway extension, marking an important step for York Region’s transit goals, says Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti.

“It was an important step forward - that was critical,” Scarpitti said Wednesday.

At a May 9 news conference, Tory had said it wasn’t in Toronto’s interests to support the Yonge subway extension until funding for Toronto’s relief line had been secured because the extension would add passengers from outside the city to the already crowded subway network.

“The commute for Toronto transit riders won’t get any better with a Yonge Street North subway extension. In fact, extending the Yonge subway north might make that commute worse,” he said.

York Region politicians expressed anger in response to Tory’s comments last week.

“The Yonge subway extension should not be held hostage,” Ward One Coun. Valerie Burke wrote in an email.

Richmond Hill Coun. Godwin Chan called Tory’s approach a “divisive tactic.”

The subway would extend north from Finch Station to Hwy. 7, into York Region.

Tory has said a downtown relief Line is needed to take pressure off both major subway lines.

The Yonge extension has the backing of provincial Liberals, but because the TTC is in charge of delivering the project, the city’s co-operation is necessary for it to go ahead.

The federal government had asked York Region and Toronto to submit their priorities for transit funding.

York Region Chair and CEO Wayne Emmerson, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow and Scarpitti met with Tory for a private breakfast Monday.

“We said we will support your relief line if you continue to support the Yonge subway extension,” Emmerson said.

The York Region leaders pointed out that both Toronto and York Region have the same problems such as not enough funding and overcrowding, Barrow said.

So, what changed Tory’s mind in the end?

“I think he realized we need to work together. If we don’t, we will be years behind,” Emmerson said.

Asked about the pivot, Tory said Tuesday that since his news conference last week he had spoken with York Region leaders and decided it would be better to co-operate.

Scarpitti called Tory’s about-face “an important milestone”, adding that failing to secure his co-operation would have been “a setback” since momentum was building in the other direction.

“If we hadn’t got past that, it could have pushed it (the subway extension) back.”

Tory met with Emmerson, Scarpitti, and Barrow in his office Tuesday morning before the trio spoke at a meeting of his executive committee.

Emmerson said he is expecting a federal funding announcement in the next few weeks to pay for the design and build of the subway extension.

The TTC and Toronto city planners have long insisted the relief line must be built before the Yonge extension. That’s because the extension would add riders to Line 1, which is expected to be at capacity by 2031.

http://www.vivanext.com/project_YongeSubway