If the city wants to control its public transit destiny it can’t rely on others for funding, TTC chair Karen Stintz says.
Stintz made the comment to CP24 Thursday afternoon in reaction to news that Metrolinx will seek a private operator for three new LRT lines, as opposed to handing the day-today operation and maintenance of the lines over to the TTC.
“There is this view that somehow the province will fund this regional transportation system, but as we can see it will be on their terms and it may or may not be integrated with our system,” Stintz said. “If the city wants to be in control of its transit destiny we need to fund it.”
On Wednesday Metrolinx informed the TTC that it is seeking a private partner to operate and maintain the provincially-funded Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown, Finch and Sheppard LRT lines, as part of an alternative financing and procurement (AFP) model.
"Value-for-money under the AFP model is maximized by linking project design and construction, and the full lifecycle of operations and maintenance, under one contract," Metrolinx said in the statement. "Including maintenance and operations within a singular contract will help ensure that we will attract the best proposals."
On Thursday Stintz said she had no idea Metrolinx was even considering a private operator for the new lines and expects that decision will mean riders will have to pay two fares.
“They may pay another fare,” she said. “I can’t imagine that any private operator is going to let the commission set the fairs for them.”
Metrolinx, meanwhile, is assuring commuters they won’t have to pay an additional fare to ride them once they are up and running.
Responding to concerns about the possibility of a two-fare system for riders, Metrolinx confirmed Thursday a one-fare system will be used for the private LRT lines, meaning customers won’t have to worry about digging into their pocket for extra change after transferring from TTC subways or buses, or vice versa.
Metrolinx said Thursday in a written statement that the new LRT lines will be “fully integrated” with the TTC, meaning “customers will have a seamless ride between the LRT, the subway and buses.”
Metrolinx said it will continue to work with the TTC on the project, which is being funded with more than $8 billion in provincial funding.
According to Metrolinx, construction of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT and Finch West LRT lines will be complete by 2020, while the Sheppard East LRT line will be up and running by 2021.
The Scarborough RT replacement and extension to Sheppard Avenue will be finished by 2020, as well.
Combined, the four lines will provide 52 kilometres of new transit for riders.
The Toronto LRT project is part of "The Big Move," a 25-year, $50 billion plan to transform regional transportation in the GTA and Hamilton area.
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