TORONTO - The Ontario government will be delaying the start of several major transit projects in the Toronto area as it attempts to keep down its capital spending.
In Thursday's budget, the government said it will work with Metrolinx to "phase" construction of transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
The government says it is an effort to save about $4 billion and reduce borrowing over the next five years.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan says the delays won't have an "anti-stimulus" effect as other stimulus spending is ongoing this year.
Toronto Board of Trade president Carol Wilding says it was "not a good day" for regional transit.
Wilding says the GTA's infrastructure deficit has become the casualty of a fiscal deficit.
Among the projects that will be going ahead is the rail link from the airport to downtown that the government wants in place for the 2015 Pan-Am Games.
"The ones that are key to the Pan-Am Games are going to go on schedule," Duncan said. "We're going to work with Metrolinx to make sure that those that are needed most quickly continue on."
Among the projects that will be delayed are the 30-kilometre Eglinton line from Kennedy Station to Pearson International Airport, the 17-kilometre Finch line from Yonge Street to Humber College and improvements to the Scarborough LRT and the York Viva bus system.
