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A Toronto city councillor hosted a rally Saturday to demand a public inquiry into the delays and cost overruns of the Eglinton Crosstown Light-Rail Transit line.
Coun. Josh Matlow (Toronto-St. Paul’s) was joined by a coalition of elected officials, transit advocacy group TTCRiders and transit workers’ union ATU Local 113 at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue W. to call on the provincial government to take action.
“There have been years of delays, a billion dollars cost overrun, businesses suffering or closing,” Matlow told CBC Toronto Saturday. “People want answers and that’s the least that they should be able to expect from the government that they elect.”
Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament Stephanie Smyth (Toronto-St. Paul’s) said billions of taxpayer dollars have gone into the project “without anything there to see for it.”
“It’s wrecked communities,” she said.
The rally comes as both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow signalled in recent days that the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 5 would likely open in just over a week on Feb. 8.
In a statement to CBC Toronto, the Toronto Police Service said approximately 50 people were present at the rally.
Reliability requires transparency, transit workers’ union president says
In a statement to CBC Toronto, a spokesperson for the province’s Ministry of Transportation said the Ford government brought both the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West LRT to substantial completion after “years of neglect and delays by the previous Liberal government.”
“We are investing $70 billion in the largest transit expansion in Canadian history, keeping goods, people, and our economy moving – investments the Liberals have voted against,” Hannah Jensen said.
The rally comes as both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow signalled in recent days that the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 5 would likely open in just over a week on Feb. 8. (Patrick Morell/CBC)
ATU Local 113 president Marvin Alfred said customers take out their frustrations over a lack of accountability on frontline workers, such as operators.
“We’re proud to operate. But at the same time, we wish there was more support, more transparency, more communication, more respect,” he told CBC Toronto Saturday.
Workers will do their best to operate the line properly when it opens but it’s difficult to do so when there are mechanical, logistical and communication issues, Alfred said.
“We’re all invested in making sure that transit is reliable. But part of that reliability is transparency, and it’s not happening,” he said.
Aniyka Mark, coordinator for the Little Jamaica Community Land Trust, said the limited parking, reduced bus stops and inaccessible sidewalks left a dent in the area.
“[Construction] cut off access to the community in a social way, a cultural way, a physical way,” she said. “It was a really devastating time.”
Metrolinx says its team is working ‘around the clock’
In a statement to CBC Toronto Saturday, Metrolinx said it has worked with all Eglinton-facing Business Improvement Areas to provide $1.38 million in ongoing financial support.
WATCH | Premier, mayor say Feb. 8 could be the big day, but the TTC disagrees:
Officials say the Eglinton Crosstown could open Feb. 8. So why does the TTC disagree?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Coun. Josh Matlow hinted that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT would open Feb. 8 — but according to the TTC’s CEO, that’s not the case. CBC’s Ali Chiasson explains.
“We are thankful to community members and local businesses for their patience during construction,” the transit network agency said. “Metrolinx will continue to support local BIAs and businesses.”
Metrolinx added the Eglinton Crosstown LRT reached substantial completion on Dec. 5 and a successful simulation of passenger operations involving 1000 TTC and Metrolinx staff last week found no safety critical issues were outstanding.
“The Metrolinx team has been working around the clock with the TTC,” the statement reads. “The LRT will bring thousands of people into communities across midtown, providing significant positive benefits to local businesses.”
Construction on the line began in 2011, with an initial opening date set for 2020, but a series of technical problems and associated cost overruns have plagued the project and repeatedly delayed its completion.
Wilkie Whale, who went to high school in the area and is a volunteer with TTCRiders, said that’s a large chunk of his life he spent waiting for the line to open.
“It was a disaster for me,” he said. “I’m frustrated.”
“What we really need to do here is not just assign blame, but figure out how we can make this so it never happens again.”