Brampton mayor calls for referendum on LRT debate

bramptonguardian.com
Sept. 2, 2015
By Peter Criscione

Mayor Linda Jeffrey said this morning that the people of Brampton should decide whether the city moves forward with a Light Rail Transit (LRT) line along Main Street into the downtown.

“This council has for months now been paralyzed and unable to get on with the important business of our city. Council, you’re at the table with the province and it’s time to make a decision,” said Jeffrey who called for a referendum on the issue during a special council meeting Wednesday to appoint a facilitator.

Council moved to acquire outside help after a marathon meeting on the $1.6 billion Hurontario-Main Street LRT failed to bring about a definitive outcome.

Council is split down the middle on the issue.

Except the process to appoint a mediator has been marred in controversy with accusations from both sides of improper lobbying and influence peddling.

Of five consultants approached for the role, two dropped out of the running said Jeffrey, who has faced stiff opposition on the Metrolinx proposal to drive the line from Port Credit in Mississauga through Brampton’s downtown heritage district. She warned Wednesday that if council cannot agree on a facilitator she would “put in motion the mechanism required to call a city-wide referendum under the Municipal Act.”

“If this council can’t make a decision we will go to our residents and see whether or not they support the Hurontario-Main Light Rail Transit surface route to the Brampton GO station.”

The pro-LRT group One Brampton commissioned a telephone poll over two days revealing broad support for the project.

The survey showed that 57 per cent of respondents were somewhat or very familiar with the project.

According to the polling firm, 46 per cent strongly supported the project as proposed and a further 27 per cent were somewhat in favour. Strongly opposed were 14 per cent of respondents and 13 per cent were somewhat opposed.

“It is clear from these results that the majority of Brampton residents support the Main Street alignment for the Hurontario-Main LRT. We hope councillors factor this into their deliberations and vote in favour of the HMLRT project," said Andrew deGroot, one of the founders of One Brampton.

Jeffrey took herself out of Wednesday’s discussion on appointing a facilitator. On Aug. 12, the mayor declared a conflict after she said a shortlisted candidate apparently tried to lobby her for the job.

Five names were put forward for consideration for the role including former Brampton mayor Peter Robertson.

In addition to Robertson, Jeff Davies (Davies Howe) and Lee Parsons (MGP) are the only ones left in the running.

“Regrettably the same individual I spoke of whom I felt had conducted himself dishonorably continues to be under consideration,” said Jeffrey who questioned the integrity of the process. She also raised concerns that one of the individuals shortlisted for facilitator has done prior work with Metrolinx.

Council (headed by councillor Jeff Bowman) spoke for several minutes before going into camera to address the appointment process and comments that were levelled by the mayor.

“Just based on the mayor’s comments about this process being flawed, I don’t want the city to be under any liability issue at the end of the day,” said Regional Councillor Michael Palleschi who, on July 8, called for deferral of the LRT decision and appointment of a facilitator.

Councillors asked for legal advice on possible repercussions of selecting a candidate with potential conflict issues.

“If we select that person, are we putting ourselves in jeopardy here?” asked councillor Grant Gibson.

When they finally emerged from closed session, councillors heard from candidates who want to help guide them through talks ahead of a crucial vote on Sept. 16.

Metrolinx proposes an LRT line in Mississauga and Brampton that will carry 35 million passengers per year by 2031. Peak hourly ridership that year is projected to hit 2,700. It is budgeted at $1.6-billion, all of it to be paid by the province.

However, critics of the plan argue council should push for a solution that works best for Brampton. They want alternate routes considered including diverging the line into adjacent parkland at Hurontario and Nanwood Drive, or pushing for LRT along Queen Street where intensification has been planned.