Fellow citizens and members of the press – thank you for being here. And thank you to the fox and fiddle for making room for us on this beautiful morning. I am Sarah Thomson and I am running for Mayor of Toronto.
I believe we live in a great city.
We have a diverse cultural framework that defines Toronto.
We have sports teams, theatres, major corporations, and a beautiful network of parks and ravines that run right into our downtown core.
Yet even with all this, we are falling behind other world-class cities.
Our politicians, lacking true leadership, blame the downloading of services from the province years ago, for all of Toronto’s shortcomings.
I am not a career politician, or a backroom political operator.
I believe it is time to turn Toronto into a strong and independent city.
It is time to take ownership and responsibility for our city, and to move Toronto forward.
I believe a great city depends on a complete subway system -- it is our key to a strong and dynamic future, but it has fallen prey to budgetary impotence and political trepidation.
To compete on the world stage we must inspire people to shake off their cynicism … to imagine a Toronto where the people are engaged in the process of government, to imagine a Toronto that leads innovation on the world stage, a Toronto where civic pride replaces apathy, where everyone can travel quickly and easily around the city, and where gridlock becomes a thing of the past.
Think of the great city builders of our past like Mayor Robert Saunders who championed our first subway line on Yonge Street.
Or Jane Jacobs who said “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
The people of Toronto want a reliable and expanded subway system. But our Municipal Government isn’t listening.
Instead they are backing a cheaper alternative – the LRT or streetcar system.
Streetcars add to road congestion, they are outside and exposed to the elements – especially winter elements – and who today truly wants to wait outside in our freezing cold Toronto winters?
Not to mention that even the most elegant streetcar system does little to beautify neighbourhoods.
Surface transit, simply put, cannot match a subway system for capacity or speed.
Subways move more people per hour and are unencumbered by outside surface traffic.
LRT and streetcar networks have a short shelf life when compared to subways.
While surface networks appear cheaper to build, they only have a 30 year life span and must be completely rebuilt three times in order to match the 90 year life of a subway system.
I am proposing to complete Toronto’s subway system.
The subway system is the key to solving our growing problems with gridlock and traffic management.
A true city-wide subway system will provide those who work and live in Toronto with an environmentally-friendly alternative to their cars.
A completed subway system will relieve the demands from our already overburdened surface routes.
A true city-wide subway system will enhance Toronto’s appeal and encourage business to invest in our city.
A complete subway system will open up neighbourhoods in need of economic development and greater access to public transit.
It will allow riders from every area to conveniently travel to all of the city’s cultural festivals, our airport and artistic hotspots around the city.
This is a significant commitment. It will require significant funding
But to move Toronto forward we must first get our own house in order. As Mayor, my top priority will be to bring fiscal order and responsibility to city government.
I’m talking about true fiscal responsibility, not the so-called responsibility where the Mayor seems to find a hundred million dollars in an old suit one day.
Infrastructure funding for expanding our subway system can’t all come from the provincial, federal, or even the municipal governments.
We must, as a city and as citizens, decide that we want to move Toronto forward, that we want a city-wide subway system reaching out to the airport in the west, through Scarborough to the east, and up to Steeles and York University in the north.
Working with early TTC maps and density plans, I have estimated the needed expansion to be approximately 58 kilometres of subway system with some above ground and some underground.
In addition to redirecting funds currently allocated for LRT construction, I will work with Metrolinx and the provincial government to increase their participation in Toronto’s transit development.
There are many ways to build and finance a city-wide subway system.
But I do not believe that running cap in hand to other levels of government, and giving away ownership and autonomy is the best option for Toronto.
We must find a way to become the city that can once again stand strong on our own.
My first subway construction priority will be to transform the proposed above-ground Eglinton cross-town line from a partial surface route to a proper subway line.
This will relieve the pressure from the surface of Eglinton Avenue, making travel safer for pedestrians, cars, and cyclists.
I am calling on Mayor Miller and City Council to suspend construction on the Eglinton LRT line pending the outcome of the current election.
To start construction on the proposed LRT system would be irresponsible and costly to undo.
Construction cost estimates, based on forming a public-private-partnership to help finance, build and maintain a subway line are approximately $200 million per kilometre and to build 33 km of the Eglinton cross-town as a subway it would come in at $6.6 billion.
The province has committed $4.6 billion towards the Eglinton project, leaving $2 billion of financing that we will need to finish the project.
After speaking with people from both government and private sector, I believe that comprehensive financing, design, construction and maintenance arrangements will reduce the overall costs of the subway system to the taxpayers.
Companies like SNC Lavalin, Skanska, and McNally International build subway systems across the planet.
They have the tools, expertise, innovation, and experience needed to do the work at a competitive cost.
I will move to secure finance partners interested in revenue sharing or long-term lease arrangements.
I also propose that we place a usage toll on our two city highways.
From Monday to Friday, during peak hours, a reasonable fee will be charged to vehicles that use our overcrowded highways.
For example, we could generate between $400 million and $500 million per year on the Gardiner and Don Valley Parkway with a $5 toll, based on 2006 traffic counts.
I want to make my promise for the road tolls absolutely clear.
Once the tolls have paid for their own infrastructure and ongoing maintenance, one hundred percent of the funds will be devoted to our subway construction and expansion priorities.
The tolls will not go into the general coffers of the city to be spent at the leisure of Council.
As part of the toll implementation, I would establish an automatic sunset clause to their authority.
This limit would cease toll collection once the subway expansion is complete.
Road tolls provide more than a financial benefit. They would make some of our drivers reconsider using their cars every day in favour of using public transit.
The first step in reducing congestion and increasing public transit use is to change people’s habits.
For everything there is a cost, but I believe that Toronto’s future rests on building a city wide subway system.
The population of Toronto is expected to increase from 2.4 million to well over three-and-a-quarter million within the next decade and the success of our economy to carry this expanded population will depend heavily on the systems we put in place today.
I believe the economic vitality of Toronto is directly connected to the efficiency and effectiveness of our transit system.
The expansion of our subway network is an essential long-term strategy to economic growth.
As Mayor, I will bring long-term thinking, fiscal order and responsibility to our city government. I will open the city to innovation, and complete Toronto’s subway system. These will be my first steps in restoring Toronto to its position as one of the greatest cities in the world.
Great cities build great subways and great subways build great cities.
I believe the people of Toronto need to be heard.
The people of Toronto want a subway system and I plan to deliver it to them.
Thank you.
Sarah Thomson, Mayoral Candidate – City of Toronto, 2010 Election
CONTACT:
Wendy Stewart
416-964-5850
416-278-1545
wendy@sarahthomson.ca
Your latest proposal on our city's subway system is REALLY GREAT! That's exactly the vision we need. I feel strongly about this because I've been to many great cities in the world and experienced how sophisticated their subway systems are. Toronto has to act fast to catch up...
I'd like to suggest some additions to the proposal as the followings:
1. Expand Sheppard line west from Don-Mills to Downsview, this approach can help reduce load to the Yonge line and can provide alternate route when Yonge line is unexpectedly shutdown. These days riders complain a lot about daily delays and sudden shutdown on the Yonge-University-Spadina line.
2. Split Yonge-University-Spadine line into two lines, expand Union Station capacity as a hub to link the new two lines. This can provide lots of benefits e.g. more frequent trains, less disruption in case of sudden shutdown.
3. Link Sheppard line to Eglinton line and to the Bloor-Danforth line (perhaps from Don-Mills to Pape) , this also provide more convenience for riders travelling between North East GTA (Markham & Scarborough) and downtown.
Thank you for your attention.
Best regards,
Allen
Great map. I'm confused why the line colours were changed. Sheppard line is yellow while YUS line is grey.
Lets stir up the debate about transit in Toronto. We not only need to decide what to build but how to pay for its construction but also about it's operations. New subway lines cost millions in extra subsidies to operate (Spadina line extension to Vaughan will cost $14M to operate each year).
Great ideas Allen. I agree with your additions. DRL should definitely go further north and end at Eglinton. LRT can take over from there and go up to Richmond Hill.
!
Having subway lines running straight East-West or North-South doesn't really solve the commuter problem because roads with bus routes already service those lines. All you would be doing is provide alternative to a bus, which with less traffic would already be reasonably fast.
If you really want to shorten trips, consider planning the subway lines so they run diagonally. I mean we can't build new roads diagonal, but subways you sure can.
What's the point of a new Eglinton line when it the central part of it already has a diamond bus lane? Having subway access to Pearson might be good, but isn't there already a planned rail link from Pearson to Union? To have a good transit system, all the systems in the GTA and the rural areas have to work together at the planning stage so there is no overlap.
A temporary toll system would be supported only if they was transparency as to how the money raised is used to build the system instead of filling the pockets of bureaucrats or wasted spinning the wheels of political red tape.
I am a proponent of transit investment, but your platform seems naive.
LRT, BRT, streetcars, and buses are not just cheaper transit alternatives to subway systems. They provide various levels of service that are optimal for differing circumstances. Surface transit can and regularly do match a subway system for capacity or speed. More vehicles are required and take up more space; less stops are required and provide lower service levels; nevertheless, they can do the job they are intended for when not touted as cost-slaying champions or lampooned as service-slashing shortcuts.
Toronto subways often are encumbered by outside surface traffic.
Building subways, like building roads, is not a mystical ‘key’ to gridlock and only serves to increase congestion by supplying suppressed demand. Toronto’s population annually grows by the size of Kitchener. Over the next 10 years, the GTA’s growth will exceed the total size of Calgary, Edmonton, or Ottawa. A more extensive subway network will partly address this growing demand, but we should not be under any illusions that multi-billion dollar investments will at best maintain the status quo as ever increasing demand is placed on our transportation networks.
Metrolinx is tasked with 54 major transportation projects in the GTHA with a primary $17.5 billion funding. Where do you propose Metrolinx and by extension, the provincial government to “increase their participation in Toronto’s transit development” beyond what’s stated in MoveOntario2020?
Your stated aim is to ease Toronto congestion, but would not a toll equally “force” people onto local roads as onto subways? In addition, no account of preliminary costs or collection mechanism makes a $5 toll arbitrary. The London Congestion Charge is the most recent political failure in this means of fee collection. Once running the system is taken into account, the annual operating net income is only 35.3% of collected funds. This does not include the capital costs of constructing such a system. This reduces the $400 to $500 million dollars per year to your “sunset” period of 10 years to $1.75 billion dollars, not even enough to pay for the cost increase on the 33 km construction of an Eglinton subway without trying to pay for its own capital costs or using a more realistic number than $200 million per kilometre for subway construction.
One of the biggest complains of rail enthusiast is that subway costs are generally consistently under-evaluated, while the benefits of a properly implemented LRT system are overlooked. Transportation, like all parts of the economy, is integrated and any change to any part of the system will have impacts on every other part in the system. Make highway travel less desirable and more people will take transit and local roads. Make the TTC user-fee free and businesses will still depend on truck deliveries.
(1)make some change of the RED Subway line:
extend to Queensway-Queen @ South Kingsway
north along South Kingsway to Jane Station
north along Jane to Jane@Sheppard
that is: Pape STN->Queen->Queensway@SouthKingsway->JaneStn->JaneSheppard
(2)make a new subway line: from Pape to Don Mills via DVP or Don Mills Rd
PapeSTN->DonMills@Eglinton->DonMills@Sheppard
(1)+(2) make another a complete U subway line (RED line)
Jane@Sheppard->JaneSTN->Jane@Queenway->Queen@Pape->PapeSTN->DonMills STN
(3)extend Sheppard subway line to downsview and even west to Jane@Sheppard
that is a complete sheppard subway line from Jane@Shepard to Scarborough Town Ctr:
Jane@Sheppard->Downsview->Yonge@Sheppard->DonMills->Scarborough Town Ctr
showway@hotmail.com
What about visitors to the city? I occasionally come to TO and have to take my car because the GO train doesn't run often enough for me. Also, Go doesn't go often enough either due to various mechanical/technical difficulties. You will lose tourist money especially in the downtown core, and cause frustration because many people will not know anything about the tolls. I'm sure the tolls will be charged but the expansion of the ttc will be a long time in the future. Then add the cost of parking! A day trip into the city will not be worth the price. Also, the congestion on local streets will certainly negate any green effect the change would make. How efficient will a transit system be if it takes over an hour to get into the city core? Any increase in parking areas at the outlying stations?
Ms. Thomson's proposed Eglinton subway route is not practical; if this route goes ahead as-is, the City of Toronto may end-up being stuck with a white-elephant. Then, where will we be?
Having done a complete survey of districts around Eglinton Avenue, I can say with certainty that the present proposal leaves a great deal to be desired in-terms of resource allocation vs. need. In order for a subway line to pay for itself over the long-term, there must be plenty of high-density development (i.e., commercial and/or residential) along its corridor. At the present time, such development is virtually non-existent west of Yonge St. As such, I would not run a subway line west of Allen Rd (i.e., where Eglinton West Station is located); although there is no high-density development on Eglinton between Yonge and Allen, I would still run it there just to allow connectivity with the Spadina Line (which I believe should be renamed the Allen Line).
A far-more-practical route to Pearson would be from Allen Rd (i.e., Lawrence West Station) along the Lawrence West-Dixon Rd. corridor; that is where more high-density development already exists, such as the area from Islington Ave to the airport. Along this route, the subway could also interchange with the Georgetown GO Line at Weston GO Station.
I really like this plan. Technology mode aside, I think it addresses Toronto's transportation needs far better than Transit City. Also unlike Transit City, all the stops are shown (for those of you who don't know, TC lines will stop almost as frequently as a regular bus).
One thing I really like is how it intensifies station spacing where it is needed, while not slowing the train down needlessly. For those of you who didn't notice, new stations would be located at Glencarin, Glen Echo, and Willowdale. Oddly enough, a station at Yonge and Cummer is missing. I could also see removing some stops from the Bloor-Danforth line, especially since the DLR will be running parallel to it. However, I understand that removing stops is very risky politically (though Ellesmere and Midland are not included in this plan).
A few things worth mentioning: As someone said earlier, extending the Sheppard line to Downsview, maybe even running it parallel along the Spadina route to York University. There are a lot of students from Scarborough that would appreciate that kind of route, or at least future generations.
Also, while subways are nice for the central areas, the entire city needs to be addressed with rapid transit. While having subways everywhere might not be feasible, "Viva like" bus and light rail with their own right-of-ways, off-board payment, and similar stop spacing should be examined for the outer reaches of the city.
Finally, while this plan addresses intermediate travel needs, I question how well it would compete for longer range travel across Toronto proper. For example, according to the travel times on CP24, in good traffic it takes about 30 minutes to get from downtown to the airport. From Union to Eglinton West it is about 15 minutes. Will getting from Eglinton West to Pearson be 15 minutes, or at least competitive enough to consider taking transit over driving? Focus should also be to work with GO to improve frequency and reliability of routes within Toronto and the inner-905 to make transit a clear choice not just for local and suburb to downtown rush hour commutes, but also for off peak regional travel as well.
Are you people out of your damn minds? Introducing a $5 toll road on QEW and DVP to pay for a subway line running pretty much parallel to an already existing one? How does that make sense? TTC can't even maintain what they have now without constantlty raising fares. Drivers are going to have to pay to build it and riders are going to have to pay much more to maintain it inluding those who don't even need it. Adding a subway line isn't going to increase the amount of riders, it's just going to conveniance some. Don't we pay enough taxes then more after the fact just trying to live. I'm not worried though, even if she did become mayor (keep dreaming) no one would LET her fulfill this post traumatic stress induced vision.
City Employee, just wondering how much do you think people who drive all the way downtown already pay with things like gas and parking? An extra $5-$10 per day is just a drop in the bucket, and this would only be in effect during rush hour - when transit is running at peak efficiency and alternatives are plentiful. Even if you don't live down the street from a TTC or GO station, taking the bus to and from the subway costs about $100 per month with tokens. If this is not convenient for you, you can park free at most GO stations and take the train from as far out as Clarkson, King City, or Pickering for about/under $200 per month. And if you have to drive downtown for whatever reason, at least the DVP/Gardiner will be far less congested.
Would like to add that I believe only rush flow traffic should be tolled. For those with counter-flow commutes, there are far less feasible options to driving.
One other example of suburban commuting patterns that may not be fully adressed with this plan: During late morning, not including trasfers it takes about 55 minutes to get from Scarborough Center Station to York University (22 minutes on the 190, 8 minutes on the subway, 25 minutes on the 196). If this were entirely subway with stops about every kilometer or so, I estimate this trip could be reduced to 40-45 minutes.
Meanwhile the GO bus can take as little as 30 minutes.
Does this mean that plans to extend the Sheppard subway to Scarborough or York should be shelved? Not at all. I believe it is important to have a continuous rapid transit route between York University, Downsview, Downtown North York, Farview Mall, and Scarborough. It would be a bit like not building the 401 between Toronto and Detroit and having it go through Kitchiner and London, because a plane could take you there directly. But it show that there are needs to improve not just intermediate, but long distance transit within Toronto proper.
The demand along the Eglinton and Sheppard routes is insufficient to justofy a subway. All building a subway along these rouets does is eat up the limited the money for rapid transit and starve the rest of the city of rapid transit lines.
It looks like the North-West section of the city is being neglected. We need rapid transit to service important destinations such as the Woodbine Racetrack and Humber College.
We must also keep in mind that there are low income residents who live in that section of the city who rely on transit as their only means of transportation.
I sincerely hope that the map is revised to include rapid transit to that area as well.
Dear Ms. Thomson:
I was wondering whether you had any comment on the idea proposed by Councillor K. Stintz recently. She advanced the idea of a parking tax versus road tolls as she thought it would be easier to implement. I follow City Hall issues through the papers and she always seems to come up with sensible suggestions. As a Go Transit user who walks to work from Union Station, I have to admit I'm not really affected by transit.
Sincerely,
John Winegarden
After living in New York, I have seen how a city can be run efficiently. A car isn't necessary, even when you're traveling to the suburbs, because there is a commuter train going in every direction. Much of this was built when the population was less dense. Someone had the vision and forethought to build it for the people of today.
I'm really shocked that taxpayers continue to pay for our roads in this province. In New York, there have been permanent tolls on all of the highways and bridges since before I was born. They pay for the roads and public transit. I really hope that we get with the program and put permanent tolls on all of the highways in Ontario. I believe that at a minimum, drivers should pay for their own roads. Tax dollars and surplus toll revenue can to public transit.
I like it. Bold and visionary - exactly what this city has been lacking for so long. Toronto will never achieve greatness until we dare to think big and do what it takes to build a subway system worthy of a world class city. No more delays, no more bickering, no more running to other levels of government - let's take ownership of our subway system and get on with it.
Sarah, I really like what I am hearing from you. However, although you don't come with the baggage that comes with any career politician, government is a very complex and political beast. Good ideas are great, but to make them happen requires a lot of experience in understanding the political culture of government. How do you intend to address this gap in your experience?
I hope your answer is a good one because I thought my vote in this election would be a vote against someone (mainly Rob Ford), but I'm hopeful that you are someone I can vote for.
Looking forward to hearing your answer
Hi Dave,
I have 24 years of experience leading and collaborating with people. For 12 years I took over failing businesses across Ontario and made them profitable. My company generated millions in revenues every year. Toronto needs a Mayor who knows how to turn around every single department at city hall and bring costs down. I know how to do that. I am the only candidate with experience doing exactly what needs to be done at city hall.
Political cultures exist in all types of businesses as well. A true leader must be able to motivate, inspire and lead with vision and this isn't something that comes with years of being a councillor.
I believe that the collaborative process must be brought into city hall. We have to all contribute to making Toronto a great city again.
Sarah,
Thanks for your reply. You make a good point about political culture in business, as someone who has worked in both the public and private sector I can certainly see the similarities, though I feel it's safe to say that there are major differences as well. The need for government solvency and the need for a business to turn a profit drive things in different manners. Businesses also have the luxury of a more narrow focus of their work, a fewer competing interests to please.
Nonetheless, these are things that can be learned, I wouldn't exclude a candidate for this reason alone. Your overall approach to dealing with others is certainly a step above any other candidate in the race for mayor (and a giant leap above that boar Rob Ford, whom despite his political experience and pedigree will surely accomplish nothing).
Best of luck Sarah.
BTW, one other thought: I'd like to see more Subway stations named after neighbourhoods than streets, e.g. instead of Lansdowne South, how about Brockton Village?
Cheers,
Dave