Minister Says Eglinton LRT Won’t Go Underground Without Tax Hike

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid recently warned in a press conference that Toronto Mayor, Rob Ford, will have to acutely hike municipal taxes if plans to put the eastern end of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT underground. Mr. Ford had recently mentioned on Friday that he would cancel planned bike lanes and wider sidewalks on Eglinton Avenue and reroute that money to put the Scarborough portion of the LRT underground.

However, Mr. Duguid alleged that such a proposal is so expensive that Mr. Ford will have to find other ways to get the money to do it. He elucidated that “I’m waiting to see what taxes Mayor Ford is going to raise to find the extra billion dollars or so he will require to put that underground.” Mr. Duguid stated that “I didn’t see that in his announcement, but I’m sure that’s coming later in the campaign.” Mr. Duguid stressed that Toronto should stop changing its mind on what kind of transit it wants.

The city has wavered between above-ground LRTs, underground LRTs and subways, repeatedly changing the transit plans numerous times in the past four years. Mr. Duguid urged that its time that we should stop altering the plans and make up our mind. He mentioned that “let’s just build these damn subways. Let’s just build these damn transit lines. Get ‘em built so people can use ‘em. Enough talk.” Mr. Duguid highlighted that “we’ve got a project already underway, we’ve got to build it. It’s time to get on with these projects.”