Statement From Minister Bob Chiarelli On Public Transit In Toronto
(February 8, 2012)

Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Transportation, released the following statement regarding the City of Toronto's public transit plans:

"Earlier today, City Council met to debate the future of public transit in the City of Toronto. As a former Regional Chair and Mayor, I have always respected the will of council, as a whole, to come to a position regarding public transit priorities.

"Over the past few weeks, Torontonians have been party to a healthy debate about the future of public transit. For many, public transit is a necessity - it's how employees get to and from work, how seniors get to and from their appointments and how students commute to school.

"Throughout the debate, the McGuinty government has maintained a clear stance--we wanted the City to come to a common position so that we all could focus on building much-needed transit infrastructure.

"Now that Council has endorsed a position, we have asked Metrolinx to consider the impacts on current transit planning and report back to us as quickly as possible.

"As time is of the essence, we look to the Mayor and Council to move forward together and help us build public transit, in accordance with the five principles that reflect the public interest and the mandate given to Metrolinx as previously outlined. These principles are as follows:

1.  Any project paid for by the Province must achieve sound regional transportation objectives.

2.  Provincial funding for rapid transit projects in Toronto is fixed at $8.4 billion (2010$). The
     Province and Metrolinx need to demonstrate ownership and control in accordance with provincial
     accounting rules, in order to amortize the investment.

3.  Any penalties related to contractual commitments or the loss of investments that result from
     changes sought by the City are the City's responsibility.

4.  Costs related to delay must be assumed by the City.

5.  The plan should minimize impacts on traffic to the extent reasonably possible.

"Now is the time to move forward. What matters most to Torontonians is that we get shovels in the ground and deliver transit in Toronto."

Please note the following statement is also available on the Ontario newsroom website at this link:

http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2012/02/statement-from-minister-bob-chiarelli-on-public-transit-in-toronto.html

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Metrolinx, with the Province of Ontario, is working with the City of Toronto to deliver new, modern transit along Eglinton Avenue and the Scarborough RT line.

The Crosstown will be a 25-kilometre rapid transit line along Eglinton Avenue from approximately Black Creek Drive in the west to Kennedy Station in the east. Nineteen kilometres of the LRT will be tunnelled underground, and the remaining six kilometres will be partially elevated from Kennedy to the Scarborough City Centre.

The project will include up to 26 new stations. Travel on the Crosstown from Kennedy to Black Creek is projected to take just 35 minutes. It will take just 45 minutes to travel from Scarborough City Centre to Black Creek. 

All Crosstown stations will accept the new PRESTO payment card system. PRESTO allows commuters to travel between multiple transit systems in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) using a single card eliminating the need for exact change, tickets or transfers to get on a bus, GO Train or subway.

Metrolinx will deliver the $8.2 billion Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown project, including securing environmental approvals, designing, coordinating, planning, constructing and implementing. Other elements of the project include Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs), maintenance and storage facilities, and rail and signal systems. Upon completion of this work, Metrolinx will retain ownership of this transit service.

The goal is to complete the project and have the entire Crosstown line operational by 2020.

Monitor construction progress and milestones by visiting the official Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown website at www.thecrosstown.ca.

Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Community Office
A community office is now open to keep local residents informed on the progress of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown project. Stop in or call the site office for more information on the progress of the project:

Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Community Office
1848 Eglinton Avenue West (at Dufferin Street)
Phone: 416-338-6310
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. – 4 .p.m.
Thursday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

For more information about the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Project:
Information Update - February 7, 2012
Project Update - June 23, 2011
Toronto Transit Plan Map
thecrosstown.ca