BRAMPTON SETS UP CONTROVERSIAL TRANSIT BODY: COUNCIL DIVIDED

NRU
July 5, 2017
Sarah Niedoba

After rejecting a provincially-funded LRT amid considerable controversy, Brampton council has decided to create a Transit Council of Chairs to improve regional transportation connections within the GTHA. Some councillors says this will bring improved focus on the issue, while others say it’s an empty political gesture.

Council approved the creation of a Transit Council of Chairs at its meeting June 7, and approved its terms of reference June 21. Members include economic development chair councillor Jeff Bowman, planning and infrastructure services chair councillor Elaine Moore, human services chair councillor Gael Miles, regional councillor Michael Palleschi, local councillor Doug Whillans and Mayor Linda Jeffrey. Senior planning, transit, public works and government relations staff will support the transit council.

“I think this is going to be a good move, when it comes to strengthening Brampton’s relationship with other levels of government,” Whillans told NRU. “It shows a stronger voice for Brampton, and I’m hoping it will mean that we can bring a strong and consistent voice to any ongoing discussions about transit in the area.”

The terms of reference call for members to advocate with the province, liaise with Peel Region and Metrolinx, and attend public consultations about the provincial budget and major transit decisions. These would include growth of the Züm bus service, widening of Highway 401 from Winston Churchill Boulevard to the Highway 407 ETR and Highway 401 interchange, the Queen Street rapid transit corridor master plan, and two-way all-day GO Rail service.

But not everyone thinks the new committee will be effective. Regional councillor Martin Medeiros told NRU that he thinks it will be a waste of time and money.

“Essentially, this body is just a political reaction to negative press that pointed out that we didn’t have a transit committee,” says Medeiros. “This is an attempt to politicize transit, by councillors who have no intention of using this committee to produce results— it’s childish at best.”

At the June 21 council meeting, Medeiros seconded Councillor Gurpreet Dhillon’s proposed amendment to the terms of references, calling for the transit council to include transit experts and community stakeholders.

The amendment lost in a vote of 6-5, with Palleschi, Whillans, Moore and Miles all voting against it. Although Palleschi told NRU that he thought that transit experts, and agencies such as Metrolinx, could be included in the transit council’s meetings. Currently, the terms of reference call for experts to be “invited to participate in meetings when necessary.”

“In my discussion with other councillors, it was our full intention to have the right people at the table,” he said. “If it’s true that we didn’t include Metrolinx right off the bat, then maybe that’s something that we need to discuss in the future.”

But Medeiros says that the failure of the amendment speaks to the flawed nature of the transit council itself.

“It’s 100 per cent an example of how this committee is smoke and mirrors,” says Medeiros. “It’s a group of councillors [proponents of the transit council] who have come under a lot of scrutiny, running afraid from the LRT decision, looking to use this to look better.”

Medeiros also takes issue with the requirement in the terms of reference directing a member of the transit council to accompany the mayor to any transit discussion with senior levels of government.

“When it comes to meetings with the province, the minister can decide who they want in the room—it’s a childish attempt to keep tabs on the mayor,” says Medeiros.

Mayor Linda Jeffrey did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.