Donlands Station exit project went ‘badly wrong:’ TTC CEO

A plan to expropriate homes for a second exit at the Donlands subway station wasn’t properly handled, the TTC admitted Wednesday.

CEO Andy Byford responded to the ombudsman’s report on Donlands Station at city council, saying the transit body got the project “badly wrong.”

“When I read the report, I cringed,” he said.

“As the CEO, I take full responsibility.  Our consultation process was not good enough. It was wholly inadequate,” Byford said.

The TTC had planned to build extra exits at Greenwood and Donlands subway stations.  

The city’s ombudsman Fiona Crean released a report called ‘Tunnel Vision’ about the project, which found that the transit body expropriated four homes for the construction work – but failed to notify the residents for six months.

The homeowners found out that their homes were being bought by the city through flyers. In one case, a man and his terminally ill spouse learned of the news from a reporter.

The delay meant homeowners weren’t given enough notice to speak at city hearings on the TTC’s plans.

“We owe it to the Donlands community to go through the project again,” Byford said, in response to questions from Coun. Mary Fragedakis. The Donlands subway station is in her ward.   

The TTC agreed with the seven recommendations in Crean’s report, including promising to develop a public consultation policy by the end of this year and a commitment to notify residents and councillors as early as possible about construction projects in their neighbourhood.

Council voted to accept the recommendations at Wednesday’s meeting, with amendments.

The amendments are to send a copy of the ombudsman’s report to the TTC, and that the TTC’s new public consultation policy would be sent to the city manager.

Council adjourned for the day for Halloween. The session will resume Thursday morning.