Despite the sudden cancellation of the Hamilton LRT project, Toronto Mayor John Tory says he's confident his city's transit plans won't get derailed in the event of cost increases.
"They've already made a very significant commitment," Tory said of the PC's subway expansion plan, which includes the new Ontario Line complete by 2027. "It's an agreement that we've reached with that government and I'm optimistic we're going to go forward."
On Monday, the City of Hamilton learned that due to increasing costs of the Hamilton LRT that the province claimed was ignored by the former Liberal Government that approved it, it couldn't go forward.
Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said they're still committing $1 billion to Hamilton transit, but that it wouldn't cover an updated cost of $5.5 billion, including operating costs over the next 30 years.
Tens of billions of dollars have been earmarked for multiple Toronto projects aside from the Ontario Line, but Tory says because this is a deal with the Ford Govt. and not the previous Liberals, there's no reason they should get shelved.
Tory adds he spoke to the premier just this weekend about transit.
"The premier is as committed to I am to move forward with those plans," he said
The mayor says it's always a risk for transit plans when governments change, which is why we need to start building as soon as possible.
"Have it reach the point before the end of the two terms, the terms of the city government and the term of the provincial government, such that no one could turn it back," he said. "We've got to leave much less in the way of chance."
The decision to scrap the LRT has been slammed by Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger as a complete blindside, but Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said the government has always been clear with the municipality.
"We have always been upfront about our commitment, the Liberals were not, the betrayal is on their end," she said.
Former premier Kathleen Wynne acknowledged costs would increase, but the PCs math is off.
"She's inflating the cost," Wynne said, adding the project was already in the procurement stage. "Mulroney is bundling a whole bunch of costs that she's not talking about in other projects, so for example, the operating costs out 30 years, that's not the capital cost of building the project."
"I'd have to see her breakdown of the numbers, but it seems to me that there must have been some other reason they wanted to cancel this project and it makes no sense to me whatsoever," she said.