Tory 'optimistic' about Ford government transit funding despite Hamilton LRT cancellation

Mayor John Tory says he's "optimistic" Toronto'stransit expansion projectswill move forward with support from the province despite the Doug Ford government's abrupt move to cancel funding for an LRT line in downtown Hamilton.

Tory said Tuesday morning that he spoke with the premier about the suite of new transit projects planned for Toronto as recently as this weekend.

"I can, for the moment ... say that the premier is as committed as I am to move forward, to get that transit built," Tory told reporters, calling Ford's dedication to the projects "absolute."

In October, the city and the province agreed on a plan that would see Queen's Park handle the capital costs ofbuilding four major transit initiatives, including the nearly 15-km Ontario Line;a three-stop Scarborough subway extension; an expansion of Line 1 north to Richmond Hill and a westward extension of theEglinton Crosstown.

The projects are currently estimated to cost about $28.5 billion, with funding from all three levels government though Toronto's City Manager Chris Murray recently warned those costs could easily balloon as details are nailed down.

There are also ongoing projects not included in the newest expansion that require buy-in from the province, such as the Finch West LRT, which is in the early stages of construction.

But the province's decision to pull funding for a long-planned light rail line in Hamiltonhas some Toronto councillors and city watchers wondering if the Ford government can be relied upon to come through on its funding commitments:

Caroline Mulroney, Ontario's transportation minister, blamed the previous Liberal government for the decision to stop the project. She told CBC Toronto on Monday that a third-party analysis found the project would cost several times more than the $1 billion the Liberals had estimated.

She later admitted, under questioning from reporters, that the current government had included 30 years worth of operating and maintenance expenses in its re-assessment of the project's cost.

In an email to CBC Toronto on Tuesday, Callum Elder, spokesperson for Ontario's transportation ministry, said Toronto residents should have confidence that the province will uphold its funding commitments for transit projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

"The province is fully committed to Ontario's subway transit plan, including our four priority subway projects.Our government's commitment to thoughtful and prudent fiscal management extends to our broader portfolio of transportation projects, including key transit projects across the GTHA," Elder said.

Former Toronto mayor David Miller called the province's calculations "shockingly dishonest," suggesting it was a pretense for cancelling the LRT. He noted that previous announcements about the LRT have included only capital costs.

Coun. Gord Perks, meanwhile, noted that the same approach would mean the price tag on projects in Toronto would grow exponentially.

In Hamilton, Mayor Fred Eisenbergerissued anothersearing rebuke to Mulroney's announcement.

"The messages to the world is that Ontario is an unreliable partner. Ontario is not a place where you can do business because of the Ford government," he said in a statement.

But Mulroney insisted that Toronto city council and resident need not worry about a similar situation playing out here.

"We've made commitments to the City of Toronto for our expansion plan and we'll be moving forward with those," she said.

When asked if the provincial government stands by the cost estimates it provided during negotiations with the city, Mulroney quickly answered, "Yes."

As part of its transit deal with Toronto, the province agreed to cover the city's portion of capital costs for the proposed transit expansion projects.

Tory said he's confident that because the agreement was negotiated by the current government, there is little chance it will try to change the terms. But, he added, he pressed Ford to get the work underway as quickly as possible so that by the time the municipal and provincial terms are over, it will be too late for any future government to "turn it back."

"I just believe that this transit is so needed in Toronto for economic, social and environmental reasons that we've got to go ahead and we've got to leave much less in the way of a chance that somebodycould, for whatever reason, change it."