Giambrone's exit leaves transit future unclear

City councillor Adam Giambrones announcement Tuesday that he will not seek re-election this fall has some wondering about the future of transit expansion in Toronto.

In February, less than a week after announcing he would enter the race to replace David Miller as Toronto mayor, Giambrone was caught lying about what he called an "inappropriate relationship with a young woman."

When he launched his mayoral campaign, Giambrone was accompanied by Sarah McQuarrie, his longtime partner.

But just a few days later, Kristen Lucas, 20, said Giambrone told her McQuarrie was by his side for "political" reasons only.

The news and ensuing scandal forced the 33-year-old Giambrone at the time considered an up-and-coming political wunderkind to bow out of the mayors race.

Giambrones executive assistant, Kevin Beaulieu, will run in Giambrones ward in November's municipal election.

Giambrone will remain as TTC chair until his council term ends, but his departure leaves transit advocates wondering about the future of Transit City, the Toronto Transit Commissions plan to add eight new light-rail transit lines across the city.

Along with Miller, Giambrone is one of Transit Citys main proponents. But in its budget released in February, the province announced it would delay providing about $4 billion in funding for the cash-strapped TTC, throwing Transit Citys future into question.

"One of my priorities over the next eight months is the fight to make sure that Transit City happens," Giambrone told CBC News on Tuesday. "Transit City is too important to the city to let die."

Mayoralty candidate Rocco Rossi has called for a complete rethink of the Transit City plan and yesterday renewed his call for Giambrone to step down as TTC chair.

"We need proper governance with proper expertise at the top of the TTC and a plan that reflects the true desires of the City of Toronto," Rossi told CBC News. "And thats not more streetcars."

Fellow TTC commissioner and Giambrone supporter Bill Saundercook is vying to be the next TTC chair and wants to keep Transit City on track.

"I will want to go after the provincial and federal government to be a bigger player in resolving some of these major transit issues for the City of Toronto," said Saundercook.

He said Transit City is still the citys best transit option for the future.

Meanwhile, Giambrone said he isn't ruling out a return to politics in the future.

"I'll come back to it at some point. It's something that I really like.... At some point in the not-too-distant future, I want to come back."