Quote:
Originally Posted by GoTrans
What is not right about this is that the GTA seems to get funding for 100% while Ottawa and Kitchener/Waterloo only get funding for 1/3 from the province and 1/3 from the Feds.
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The Liberals have opened up a can of worms as seen below by the article in the Waterloo Record, requesting 100% funding for phase 2 or being included in the GTHA or should I say GTHAKWC and while we are at it we might as well add London and Guelph and Stratford and Chatham and Windsor. Let's forget about Ottawa though, as per usual. There should be one set of rules for every major city in the province. Instead of making funding dependant upon whether you are part of the GTHA, why not make it conditional on being part of "Ontario". Every city should have to pay part of the costs no matter how big or small the costs are or the city is, and that incudes Toronto. And no, I do not have a hate on for Toronto.
Waterloo Region Record
By Paige Desmond
WATERLOO REGION — Regional officials are feeling shortchanged on light rail transit after the province announced $1.6 billion to pay for the Hurontario Line between Mississauga and Brampton this week.
"It certainly is disappointing that we've gone ahead in good faith … and put in our pound of flesh and then others who come along after, who happen to be in the GTA, seem to, if they become petulant as they were, then get the full amount," Coun. Tom Galloway said.
Region of Waterloo politicians plan to ask the province if its commitment in Mississauga means that's the new standard for transit projects.
They'd like 100 per cent funding for Phase 2 of light rail from Kitchener to Cambridge.
"Our government was first at the table in Phase 1 and we will be at the table for Phase 2," transport minister Steven Del Duca said in an email.
He said light rail from Cambridge to Kitchener would be eligible for money from the province's Moving Ontario Forward plan and added the region hasn't requested funding.
There will be some cost to Mississauga and Brampton for light rail, according to the government.
The region has awarded a $1.9-billion contract to construction consortium GrandLinq to design, build, finance, operate and maintain light rail for 30 years.
In 2008, the province pledged to pay up to two-thirds of the cost of the local rapid transit system. Documents obtained by The Record several years later showed that pledge was based on estimated project costs of $260 million.
The province altered its funding commitment in 2010, changing the pledge to $300 million. The federal government committed to pay up to $265 million for the project.
Regional councillors raised the funding issue at a meeting Wednesday.
"I would go as far as to say you know, madame premier and provincial government, in light of the fact that you've 100 per cent funded Brampton and Mississauga we hereby request 100 per cent funding commitment for Phase 2 of our LRT project," Coun. Sean Strickland said.
Regional Chair Ken Seiling took a different approach. He asked staff to report back to committee in May on a motion to ask that Waterloo Region be included in the Metrolinx planning area.
Metrolinx is the crown corporation created to deal with transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. It doesn't include this region.
"We've been asking for a number of years to be included in the Metrolinx planning area," Seiling said.
The region may be out of luck.
"There are no current plans to expand the scope of Metrolinx's planning mandate," transport ministry spokesperson Bob Nichols said.
He said the region is within the GO Transit's service area and within 10 years all-day, two-way trains will run between the Kitchener and Bramalea GO stations, and Bramalea and Union Station.
Light rail here is expected to be running in late 2017 between Conestoga Mall in Waterloo and Fairview Park Mall in Kitchener.
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