Mitzie Hunter to kickstart North York Scarborough subway

Part of her TTC plan to get Toronto moving again, mayoral candidate says

Toronto – Mitzie Hunter, mayoral candidate, says she will kickstart construction of the North York Scarborough subway as part of her comprehensive plan to boost TTC ridership and get Toronto moving again.

Hunter will champion and advance the planning for the North York Scarborough Subway extension along Sheppard, connecting Line 4 to the new Scarborough Subway Extension in the east and to Sheppard West on Line 1.

“I am bringing fresh eyes and bringing new solutions and as mayor I will kickstart the North York Scarborough subway project and get it going,” Hunter says.

“We need to get Toronto moving again. Safe, reliable, frequent and affordable transit is the best tool we have to get Toronto moving again and that includes projects such as the North York Scarborough subway.”

Hunter’s North York Scarborough subway plan has three key elements:

· Extend Sheppard Subway from Don Mills Station to Agincourt GO Station to:

o Make the under-performing Sheppard spur line into a two-way peak line with peak ridership increased from 4,200 to over 10,000 with connections to Line 1 in the West, Richmond Hill Line GO at Sheppard & Leslie, Stouffville Line GO at Agincourt GO station and Scarborough Town Centre in the east.

o Extend by 5.4 kilometres and five new Stations: Consumers, Victoria Park, Warden, Birchmount and transfer Station at Agincourt GO Station.

o Connect the high-value employment & mixed use node at Consumers Road where there is 4.1 million square feet of office space and over 28,000 car-dependant jobs.

o Connect to the Richmond Hill GO line at Leslie & Sheppard.

· Connect Agincourt GO Station to Scarborough Town Centre by building:

o An additional 4.1 km and two new stations at Brimley/Sheppard and McCowan/401

· Build the Sheppard West subway extension:

o A 4.3-kilometre connection along Sheppard Avenue from Sheppard Station to Sheppard West station.

The new line will provide a connection between the two branches of TTC’s Line 1 in the north part of the city, improving connectivity to North York Centre which is Toronto’s largest commercial centre outside of downtown, where over 40,000 people work.

This line will also improve access to Downsview Park, helping to meet Toronto Official Plan objectives of improving public access to green spaces.

A further 10,000 people work in the Downsview area. The project would encourage mixed use and transit-friendly development around subway stations thereby reducing reliance on automobiles and supporting our climate goals.

The eastern link would cost about $5 billion and the link in the west will cost about $2 billion for a total of about $7 billion. Hunter is committing to fund the preliminary design and engineering for this project from the City’s existing transit reserves to advance detailed planning and costing.
She will present a costed, affordable, responsible budget before voting starts in June.

Other key elements of Hunter’s overall TTC plan include:

· Seniors ride for free on the TTC as well as all Wheel-Trans users
· Lower TTC fares by reversing recent fare hike
· Restoring service and reversing the cuts

“We need to get Toronto moving again and this is my plan to restore ridership and confidence in the TTC,” Hunter says.

“Reducing TTC service frequency and hiking fares is the worst way to go. I will fix that by restoring service, reducing fares, making the TTC free for seniors and Wheel-Trans users, and get going with new builds such as the North York Scarborough subway.”

Other mayoral candidates say we need to take control of our destiny to get things done but at the same time throw up their hands and say we can’t do anything without the provincial government.

“You can count on me to fight and fight hard for our fair share from the Ontario government,” says Hunter.

“But we can't wait. We have to get going. Our city is at a turning point and we have the responsibility to make sure the turning point is not a breaking point.”

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Contact:
Charmain Emerson
charmain@culturedcommunications.ca

Remarks by Mitzie Hunter announcing TTC improvements, May 2, 2023:
Check against delivery

· Toronto needs fresh eyes, new solutions and bold new leadership.
· That’s why I am running for mayor.
· Last week… I announced my plan to get Toronto moving again.
· Seniors ride for free on the TTC. The same for Wheel-Trans users.
· I will lower TTC fares by reversing the recent fare hike.
· I will restore service and reverse the cuts.
· On Monday… I announced my plan to drive forward construction of the Waterfront East LRT,
· Today… I am announcing that, as mayor, I will drive forward construction of the North York Scarborough subway.
· I will kickstart the project… and get it going.
· I will champion and advance the planning for the North York Scarborough Subway extension along Sheppard… connecting Line 4 to the new Scarborough Subway Extension in the east… and to Sheppard West on Line 1.
· My North York Scarborough subway plan has three key elements:
· First… Extend Sheppard Subway from Don Mills Station to Agincourt GO
· Second… Extend from Agincourt GO Station to Scarborough Town Centre
· Third… Extend the Sheppard West subway extension along Sheppard Avenue from Sheppard Station to Sheppard West station.
· It will mean improved connectivity to North York Centre which is Toronto’s largest centre outside of downtown.
· Over 40,000 people work there. Let’s get them on the TTC.
· It will mean improved public access to Downsview Park. Let’s get people going there on the TTC.
· It will mean improved access to the entire Downsview area where 10,000 people work. Let’s get them on the TTC.
· It will mean more people on the TTC and fewer people on the road… easing congestion… and assisting our climate goals.
· The eastern link would cost about $5 billion and the link in the west will cost about $2 billion for a total of about $7 billion.
· I am committing to fund the preliminary design and engineering for this project from the City’s existing transit reserves to advance detailed planning and costing.
· And I will present a costed, affordable, responsible budget before voting starts in June.
· It’s part of my comprehensive plan to boost TTC ridership and get Toronto moving again.
· And we really need to get Toronto moving again.
· Safe, reliable, frequent and affordable transit is the best tool we have to get Toronto moving again and that includes projects such as this.
· It will also help us achieve our climate goals.
· Building the North York Scarborough subway is part of my plan.
· Things are urgent. TTC ridership last year was less than 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels and road traffic is crawling.
· The downtown core is already congested.
· The beginning of construction on the Ontario Line will only make traffic worse.
· That’s why this is the worst time to be reducing TTC service frequency.
· This is the worst time to be hiking fares.
· I will fix that by restoring service, reducing fares and making the TTC free for seniors and Wheel-Trans users.
· My plan goes even further, setting out how we can make the TTC better than ever before in the future and exactly what projects I will get behind.
· The North York Scarborough subway is one of these priority projects.
· I am laying this all out in advance.
· I am going further than any other mayoral candidate.
· I am bringing fresh eyes and new solutions.
· Fresh eyes and new solutions to the TTC in order to get Toronto moving again.
· I have heard other candidates say as recently as yesterday that the city can't do much without the help of other governments.
· I don't agree with that. It's admitting defeat before they have even gotten the job!
· I will fight hard and be Toronto's champion in getting what Toronto needs and deserves from other governments. You can count on that.
· So for example, the other governments need to keep coming forward for their one third share in key transit projects like this, the North York Scarborough subway.
· And for other expenses the city has taken on that is in their jurisdiction, from the pandemic, on refugee settlement for example.
· We need them at the table and paying their fair share.
· But I also have no illusions. Other governments are not going to magically come and bail out Toronto. Other candidates who are counting on that are doing so on a wish and a prayer, and saying that's good enough!
· And we can't wait for them anyway. Toronto is at a turning point that mustn’t become a breaking point.
· We have to get going even while making our case forcefully with other governments.
· I know how to do that. And I have the will. You can just watch me go at it!
· But at the same time I will not use it as an excuse for inaction on affordable housing, on a better TTC, in dealing with homelessness and a safe city and everything else we need to urgently move on.
· We have to get going as a city. With a mayor who herself will lead, not wait for others to do so.
· This is why I am running for mayor.
· Toronto has to be a city that works for everyone, everywhere.
· We all know this. Yet we are drifting away from that kind of city.
· I have not been a a councillor… Or a police chief.
· That is an advantage.
· I have been a senior cabinet minister, CEO of CivicAction, and CAO of Toronto Community Housing.
· I have experience.
· With that experience come fresh eyes and a new approach.
· We need to bring those on the outside, in.
· I’m from Scarborough. I have strong roots there.
· But I know that every part of our city matters… From Scarborough in the east to Etobicoke in the west, from North York and York to Midtown, East York and downtown.
· We need a mayor that will represent and work for the entire city.
· We need to get Toronto moving again.
· People need to get to school. People need to get to work. People need to get home to their families.
· That’s why I am passionate about the TTC and getting Toronto moving again.
· That’s why I care.
· Building the North York Scarborough subway.
· I will kick start the project. I will get it going.
· We need to be a city that works for everyone. Everywhere.
· That’s why I am running for Mayor.