Hudak wants McGuinty to force city to build subways
Posted March 6, 2012 6:08 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – The leader of the provincial Conservatives is wading into Toronto’s subway versus LRT battle.
Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, seen at a few of the Mayor Rob Ford family barbecues, thinks it’s time the Premier stepped in and told the City of Toronto the provincial cash has to be spent underground.
“We got this debate at council and it’s degenerating into ward personalities. So what does the Premier do? Why is he in that chair?,” Hudak said at a news conference, Tuesday.
“The province has a key role to play, and what we’re calling upon the province of Ontario to do is to solve this equation, to do the right thing, and to ensure the provincial money goes underground building subways, not ripped out streets,” he added.
Transportation minister Bob Chiarelli says Hudak should not be following the lead of Mayor ford, who is ignoring the agreement he signed with the province that gives council the final say.
“The mayor is showing disrespect for his own agreement. We are showing respect in city council and we are showing respect for the memorandum of understanding that we signed with the mayor,” said Chiarelli.
The province has given Toronto $8.4-billion for transit expansion.
It was originally earmarked for the Miller administration’s Transit City plan.
Hudak said more subways will make Toronto a world class city and attract new investment and more jobs.
On Tuesday Hudak presented a motion to give the province the final say on transit expansion in Toronto.
Council voted against the motion 65 to 35.
