Toronto Subway Expansion Plan

WHY UNDERGROUND TRANSIT?
The population of Toronto will double in the coming decades. We must invest in rapid
transit that can accommodate future population growth and stimulate development.
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SUBWAYS
SURFACE RAIL
Less disruption to traffic
Long term solution
Capacity for future population growth
Faster commute times
More reliable travel times
Greater economic opportunities
Greater development opportunities
More job creation opportunities
Lower long term maintenance costs
Lower long term operating costs
Reduce lanes of traffic
Short term solution
Less capacity for population growth
Slower commute times
Less reliable travel times
Fewer economic opportunities
Fewer development opportunity
Fewer job opportunities
Higher long term maintenance costs
Higher long term operating costs
WORLD-CLASS CITIES BUILD SUBWAYS
Decades ago, Toronto took pride in having one of the best subway systems in the world.
Today, years of underinvestment have left us far behind other world-class cities.
TOKYO
LONDON
NEW YORK
TORONTO
TORONTO’S FUTURE SUBWAY SYSTEM
THE TORONTO SUBWAY EXPANSION PLAN
By making key connections in our subway system, we will build the foundation of a truly
integrated subway system that will connect our City and create countless new opportunities.
Complete the Sheppard Subway Line:
Replace the planned surface LRT, from
Don Mills to McCowan with a subway,
connecting the existing Sheppard
Subway line with the newly approved
Bloor-Danforth Subway Extension(7.4 KM) Cost $1.8-Billion
Build Phase 1 of the Yonge Relief Line:
I will build the first phase of the Relief
Line from Queen to Pape. This will add
much needed capacity to our subway
system- (5.5 KM) Cost: $3.2-Billion
THE TORONTO SUBWAY EXPANSION PLAN CONT.
Complete Eglinton Underground:
Under the current plan, the Eglinton
Crosstown will run underground until
Laird, and above-ground from Laird to
Kennedy. This will cause significant traffic
disruption. I will bury the Eglinton Line
from Laird to Kennedy- (8.2 KM) Cost:
$1.4-Billion
Build the Finch Subway Line:
Connecting the future Finch West
Station to Humber College (11 KM)
Cost: $2.6-Billion
TOTAL: 32 KM OF NEW SUBWAY LINES AT A COST OF $9-BILLION
FUNDING
I do not support permanent, costly, transit taxes like my opponents do. The City of Toronto has a number of other viable
funding options at its disposal to help build new subways.
OPTIONS TO FUND THE TORONTO SUBWAY EXPANSION PLAN:
o Provincial and Federal Partnerships: In 2013 I brought the Provincial and Federal governments together to construct
the Scarborough Subway. I will build on this partnership to help fund the Toronto Subway Expansion Plan.
o Revenue from Build Toronto: Build Toronto is the corporation created to generate revenue from the City's real estate
assets. Build Toronto is currently projecting over $540-Million in land sales over the next five years. I will dedicate the
significant revenue this will generate to help fund my subway expansion plan.
o Development Charges: Fees levied on land development projects by the City to build capital infrastructure.
o Public-Private Partnerships: The private sector accepts responsibility and risks of design, financing, construction and
maintenance of the project- the City retains ownership of all assets (not privatization). P3s engage the expertise and
discipline of the private sector to deliver better value for taxpayers money, reduce costs and reduce construction times.
o Sale of “air rights” above subway stations: TTC and City of Toronto staff have identified that the sale or lease of “air
rights”, space for building over new subway stations, can generate millions of dollars to fund subway expansion.
o Tax Increment Financing: Leverages future tax revenue from increased development and assessment growth along the
new transit corridor to finance subway construction.
o Future Assessment Growth: Each year Toronto’s tax base grows by millions of dollars. Instead of leaving these funds in
a general pool for spending, I will allocate a portion of future assessment growth to fund my subway expansion plan.
o Strategic sale of select assets along future transit corridors: The City of Toronto owns many properties along proposed
transit corridors. The sale of some of these assets would generate hundreds of millions of dollars.
o Reallocation of funding from LRT projects: I would cancel the Sheppard and Finch LRTs and reallocate that funding to
building subways along these corridors. This would generate approximately $2-Billion in funding.
SUMMARY
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As a rapidly growing world-class city, Toronto must undertake a major subway expansion.
I am the only candidate who is committed to expanding Toronto’s subway system.
I have presented a viable and realistic plan to build 32 KM of new subway lines along key corridors.
My top priorities are building the Sheppard Line, the Yonge Relief Line and the Finch Line, and ensuring the Eglinton
Crosstown is built underground.
o By making key connections in our subway system (Phase 1), we will build a foundation that can be expanded in the
future to create a truly integrated subway system connecting one end of Toronto to the other (Phase 2).
o The Toronto Subway Expansion Plan (Phase 1) will cost approximately $9-Billion (TTC and Metrolinx).
o I will fund this plan through partnerships with other levels of government, development charges, revenue from Build
Toronto, utilizing public-private partnerships, the sale of select assets along proposed transit corridors, the sale of “air
rights” above new subways stations, Tax Increment Financing , the use of future assessment growth and the
reallocation of funding from proposed LRT lines.