Council approves deal with Metrolinx for 4 new LRTs

Councillors have approved a deal between the City of Toronto and the provincial transit agency Metrolinx on the new light-rail transit (LRT) lines set for Eglinton, Sheppard Avenue East, Finch Avenue West and along the Scarborough RT route.

The vote was 30 to 11, despite some vociferous opposition from Mayor Rob Ford, Mike Del Grande, David Shiner, Frank Di Giorgio and Norm Kelly.

“This is not what the taxpayers want in the city,” Ford said, adding that people in Scarborough, North York and Etobicoke want subways. “You support this; you’re supporting congestion.”

“This is the worst thing to support today,” he said. “It is absolutely the wrong thing to do.”

The deal gives Metrolinx control over construction but some city councillors fear it gives the agency too much say in how many LRT stations will be built and how far apart they’ll be.

“This agreement to City of Toronto residents is worthless,” Shiner said. “It only gives a right to object.”

Councillors, who met for a third straight day on Thursday, deferred consideration of the Integrity Commissioner reports on Mayor Ford and his brother, Coun. Doug Ford, for comments they made about Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. David McKeown.

Integrity commissioner Janet Leiper says the mayor breached the city’s code of conduct when he criticized “the professional reputation” of McKeown last spring on his radio talk show.

Both Fords criticized McKeown over his report called Road to Health: Improving Walking and Cycling in Toronto that called for lower speed limits on city streets.

On his show, the mayor called McKeown’s $294,302 salary an “embarrassment” and said he would “look into that and try and straighten things out.” The mayor also called McKeown’s study “nonsense.”

On the same show Coun. Ford referred to McKeown as “this guy” and asked “why does he still have a job?”

Coun. Ford issued an apology last week on the radio (not his show) for his comments. The mayor issued a retraction, but hasn’t apologized.

Leiper is recommending council reprimand the mayor, or impose sanctions, including suspension of remuneration for 90 days. She also wants another request for an apology.

As the council meeting kicked off on Thursday morning, council voted to have staff look at increasing water rates beyond the three per cent hike planned for 2015 and to report back next June.

The first two days of this council session saw heated debate over a recent ombudsman’s report on the public appointments process and a preferred-candidates list for public appointments.

On Thursday afternoon, councillors unanimously agreed to an “avenue study” on Bloor Street West, between Runnymede Road and Keele Street in High Park. The study would change zoning bylaws to encourage “vibrant, high-quality and appropriate” development in the area.

Coun. Sarah Doucette says developers have, over the past two years, flooded the city with applications for buildings in the area which would exceed the maximum allowed height.

Council was also debating the merits of putting security cameras in Toronto Community Housing.