Toronto council approves plan to link Yonge subway to downtown relief line

YorkRegion.com
May 24, 2017
David Nickle

The proposed Yonge Street extension into York Region will go in close conjunction with the construction of the downtown relief subway line – but not before – if Toronto Council has anything to do with it.

Councillors voted May 23 to approve a work-plan for the two subway expansion plans, included in that a deal struck between Mayor John Tory and his counterparts in York Region to go forward together to get funding for the two projects.

“They said they were prepared to join in common cause,” said Tory at the end of a long debate at Toronto Council on the report. “I can’t remember a time that they’ve said they’d support a transit project within our borders.”

Both transit projects are a long way from completion. Toronto Council approved an alignment for the downtown relief line – from Pape Station on Line 2, along Carlaw then west to Yonge Street. And it supported going ahead with York Region to solidify plans for an extension of the Yonge subway from Finch into Richmond Hill.

Neither project is funded, however. Tory argued having allies in the 905 region – where provincial Liberals will be fighting to hold onto seats in the 2018 election – will make it more likely that the province will come forward with funding for the downtown relief line.

“I need allies to be with me supporting the relief line,” said Tory. “I think in terms of taking the view that the downtown relief line is an important project for this city… I was trying to collect friends for the relief line. What their motives are is up to them. “

The mayor took criticism from some on council, such as St. Paul’s Councillor Josh Matlow who argued the Yonge extension was simply another piece of misguided transit planning.

“We have continually made decisions based on politics and they end up in the wrong place,” he said. “Everything we’ve been focused on as priorities has been based on political priorities of the moment and it’s got to stop now.”

Matlow and others were worried the Yonge extension would leave Toronto taxpayers on the hook for subsidizing the new line through property taxes while York Region municipalities enjoyed the benefits of increased assessment and improved service for their residents.

Beaches-East York Councillor Janet Davis successfully moved a motion to negotiate an outcome that operating costs weren’t foisted on Toronto.  A motion was also brought forward by St. Paul’s Councillor Joe Mihevc to ensure York Region cover the costs of planning and capital for the Yonge Street extension.

Council also voted to look at extending a light rail line north into Don Mills as a part of the downtown relief line.