By Nick Westoll
The City of Toronto is officially on track with the public consultation process on the Scarborough Subway Extension.
An environmental assessment meeting in Scarborough on Saturday was the first time residents had the formal opportunity to provide their feedback on the $3.5 billion project since Toronto City Council approved the subway extension in 2013.
Viewing potential routes
Over 100 residents attended the meeting hosted by the City of Toronto at Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School where they got to look at potential subway routes and ask questions of city staff.
All of the routes are located in an area bounded by the existing north-south Scarborough RT corridor, Sheppard Ave. E., Eglinton Ave. E. and Markham Rd.
Later in the process, residents will be asked to pick their route preference.
However, all of the proposals have common elements. For example, each of the routes leave from Kennedy station and pass through Scarborough Town Centre to end at Sheppard Ave. E.
City staff proposed options using different streets such as Midland Ave., Brimley Rd., McCowan Rd., Bellamy Rd. N. and Markham Rd. They also showed an option using the existing Scarborough RT route.
According to Tim Laspa, director of transportation planning with the City of Toronto, public consultations will continue throughout 2015 and the beginning of 2016.
If the Toronto and Ontario governments sign off on the project, construction could begin in 2018 with the service potentially launching in 2023.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/188970730″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”120″ iframe=”true” /]
Deputy Mayor Glenn De Baeremaeker, a strong proponent of the Scarborough Subway Extension, was the only member of Toronto City Council to attend the meeting.
When asked about where he would like to see the subway line, De Baeremaeker said he favoured a route on the eastern side of the study area.
“The farther east you push the subway line, the more people you help,” De Baeremaeker said. “When you look at the city of Scarborough the half way mark is Markham Rd., so if you build the subway out to Markham Rd. you actually help a lot more people.”
Although De Baeremaeker would like to see four to five stations, or potentially more if there was a public demand, he said he would be okay with three stations depending on the feedback from residents and staff.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/188964514″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”120″ iframe=”true” /]
City staff weren’t able to comment Saturday on specific costing associated with each route option and if additional subway stations could be accommodated within the existing budget.
As residents reviewed the subway route options, a Toronto transit advocacy group called on the city to revisit the former LRT plan.
“I think we need to revisit the LRT,” TTCriders Scarborough committee chair Brenda Thompson said. “The SmartTrack system might take ridership from the subway. Also, the subway has a limited number of stations, which may not be able to give access to transit riders who need it.”
Thompson added that regardless of what is decided upon after the environmental assessment is completed, she would champion improved bus service.
I completely agree with Brenda Thompson of TTCriders that the LRT option for Scarborough must be revisited. Especially given the recent $400M cost overrun for the Spadina Subway Extension.
Mayor John Tory is “furious” and vows to shake things up at City Hall because of Spadina. Yet he and other Scarborough subway supporters like Councillor Gary Crawford are steering us towards another transit-related fiasco, one that will likely make Spadina pale in comparison.
Keep in mind we started with a fully-funded (by Metrolinx/Province) LRT plan that would serve Scarborough extremely well – high quality rapid transit with more stations, greater coverage serving more priority areas, greater ease of access built in half the time at a lower cost. Metrolinx would also pay the full ongoing capital maintenance costs and share operating costs.
What are the financial implications of the $3.56B subway option?
– $75M penalty for cancelling the LRT
– 30-year $745M property tax charge (more if City cannot raise an extra $165M from development charges)
– $30-40M annual ongoing capital maintenance costs that now becomes the City’s responsibility along with operating costs
– additional property tax charges – subway operating costs are still unknown – “Once available, City staff will be able to calculate the property tax impact related to annual operating and capital maintenance.” – Feb.9/2015 Letter re Administrative Inquiries from Councillor Josh Matlow, p.2
– $132M to refurbish the SRT for an extended 10-yr period over the subway’s construction period
From the City Report “Scarborough Rapid Transit Options” dated July 12, 2013 – which Councillors should have read before narrowly overturning the LRT plan in a 24-20 vote:
– annual debt service charge ranging from $26M to $57M over 30 years (p.8)
– “could impact the City’s ability to fund other critically important priority transit projects” (p.10)
– “will directly reduce budget flexibility to address ongoing operational and service levels issues now and in the future” (p.11)
– “Council will have less financial flexibility to fund other key… infrastructure priorities” including social housing, transportation, water. (p.4)
– would require pushing forward $450M capital funds to implement Automatic Train Control on the Bloor-Danforth Line earlier (p.18)
Finally, is the current $3.56B price-tag a set cost? Mayor Tory would not answer that question after the Matlow queries were “shelved” by Council. For good reason – the answer is very likely “no”. This price is based on the McCowan Corridor being used. As your article notes, pressure is being applied to go with the longer Markham Rd. route, possibly adding 1-2 more stations. At roughly $300M/km and $200M per station, this would easily push the cost up an extra $1B. A cost borne by the City – meaning taxpayers. And who should be held responsible for that?
Please find, below, the links to the sources I referred to in my original letter:
– Feb.9/2015 Letter re Administrative Inquiries from Councillor Josh Matlow http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2015/ia/bgrd/backgroundfile-76215.pdf
(Note the impact of SmartTrack on the subway’s ridership is still unknown (p.3), not a slight detail.)
– “Scarborough Rapid Transit Options” dated July 12, 2013 http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-60240.pdf
– For anyone interested in the politics of the Scarborough Subway, the overwhelming reason why we are getting this option, a must-read is Spacing Magazine http://spacing.ca/toronto/2014/05/28/spacing-investigation-part-1-political-movements-behind-scarborough-subway/