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Morning Brew: Does Rob Ford intend to make the TTC an essential service?, Rogers in talks to buy MLSE, SIU reopens the Nobody case, province to announce 1700 green energy jobs, Grinder Coffee adds TTC info screen
Today is Rob Ford's first official day as mayor, and according to one city councillor, his upcoming inaugural council meeting has added another controversial item: urging the province to ban strikes on the TTC. "Their information to me was that they intend to put making the TTC an essential service on the agenda at the Dec. 16 meeting," said outgoing TTC vice-chair Joe Mihevc, who met Tuesday with Mark Towhey, one of Mr. Ford's senior policy advisers. Just when you thought Rob Ford's first day as Toronto's mayor couldn't become anymore combative, he surprises again. He really likes doing that, doesn't he?
Rogers is in talks to buy the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal worth more than $1 billion, which would be the biggest transaction in Canadian sports history. The sale would include the Raptors, Toronto FC soccer club and the Marlies, transforming Rogers, which already owns the Toronto Blue Jays, into one of the most powerful sports enterprises in North America. Guess that unique "who has the biggest maple leaf" PR work paid off.
The SIU is to reopen Adam Nobody's case amid mounting controversy over Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair's response to the accusations of excessive force used at the G20 summit. As reported yesterday, Blair said the YouTube video that shows Nobody being tackled by police had clearly "been tampered with." A day later, after receiving a sworn three-page affidavit from John Bridge, who filmed and posted the video to YouTube, which denied Blair's claims, the SIU responded by reopening its probe into Mr. Nobody's case.
The Ontario government is going green. Kind of. According to Queen's Park sources, as many as 1700 new green energy jobs are to be announced this week. The new jobs located in Southwestern Ontario are coming as a result of three projects, including manufacturing factories for both wind turbine blades and towers. I guess the Liberals are feeling a little guilty with those sky-high electricity bills. First the "rebate," now the jobs...I wonder if they'll spring for my mom's cost-efficient toaster.
You know when you're standing in line for coffee and you're wondering if you have time before the next streetcar comes to spring for the non-fat-triple-cappuccino-with-extra-foam or just a simple cup of joe? Well, wonder no more at Grinder Coffee, on Gerrard St. E. near Jones Ave. The cafe features a wall-mounted screen displaying real-time info on the arrival of the next four to six 506 Carleton streetcars, which stop just outside the door. "That is absolutely the kind of thing we would like to see happen, third parties developing applications to help TTC customers navigate the system," said TTC spokesman Brad Ross. As long as they're not footing the bill.
In Brief:
- Residents told airport tunnel impact will be minimal (again).
- The Leafs collapse with seven seconds left.
Photo by ronnie.yip in the blogTO Flickr pool.
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like a GOOD mayor after all.
it is going to be a long four years for people who support rob and actually thought he would save us money. in one years time everyone will be denying they voted for him.
also cancelling transit city is beyond irresponsible.
So how is it respect for the tax payer when we have to pay for the 150+ million in cancellation fees? More like a slap in the face if you ask me.
You have no idea what you're talking about.
One way to *fix* the TTC from Ford's chair is to strip away power from them. They have too much and can cripple the city. If it costs a few bucks more to prevent this from happening, so be it.
The respect for taxpayers begins.
Yes there was a time I read peacefully on the streetcar. Good luck with the new mayor thing. Sounds, like your half full there...
First, contract changes are nothing new, it's done all the time in business. And it does NOT mean there is a huge cost involved.
For example the boring machines, they are not even built. The manufacturer has already stated they can be made a bit larger to bore the tunnel for subways. They will simply cost out that increase. No loss of contract.
Same approach for the cars.
So the largest elements get repurposed with very little waste.
The costs to control are labor... those building the line. For that I would get it out of the hands of the city and TTC staff immediately and forever.
Get the group that can and has done it on budget and on time in China, HK, Spain.
But look at the positive. If Ford can upgrade to subways without serious cost implications would you prefer that? Or would you prefer to continue asking yourselves what if? Or worse, why do we always settle for less?
I'd like the supporters of Transit City to explain how this city will be able to accommodate another million people if we remove precious surface capacity to build LRTs. Toronto is already congested. We are not going to switch all those people and then some to bicycles and cars.
Subways are the way to go.
YES PLEASE
DO IT NOW
THANK YOU
If we did this, we would quickly see public sector unions take a different stance on government spending and productivity. Their fortunes should be linked to the fortunes of the general public. It doesn't seem to work that way now.
You realize that Ford is proposing to waste $200 million in cancelling work in progress, and in seven years possibly have one subway built. To one side of the city. That's it.
And the one project, with eight stops will cost more than building LRT tracks to all corners of the city.
Go ask Calgary how they love their C-train - LRT does the job wherever it's installed.
Go ask Ottawa how they love their O-train stop/start/stop/cancellation that cost them $150m for nothing... and how they feel about their ex-mayor that cut it.
Why must every conservative politician screw up engineers' work each time they get elected?
http://thirtykzone.com/2010/12/01/welcome-fearless-leader/
It's funny seeing Ford supporters agree with their guy even when he's advocating spending more money and putting the city deeper in debt. I would personally love more subways and if Ford can figure out a way to do it without ruining the city's finances, then more power to him. But I just don't see how he can do it if those before him couldn't either.
also to steve - there is no law regarding mediation or at least there is no way to magically influence mediation so it results in less than inflation matching pay increases. honestly you sound like rob ford making things up as you go along. please realize that essential services (police union) always recieve above inflation pay increases. there is no magical way around it.
going to be such a long 4 years, my only hope is that at the end of it we as an electorate have learned not to vote for people based on catch phrases and empty rhetoric. saying what people want to hear shouldnt get you elected unless you can back it up. so often when ford or his supporters quote "facts and figures" they are incorrect. it is so disheartening when the people who are yelling also dont know what they are talking about.
Etobicoke and Scarborough would have their very own subways, today, if it wasn't for Rob Ford's family and friends.
This isn't a choice between LRTs and subways. It's a choice between LRTs and nothing.
We don't have the money to build subways. Period. Attempts to derail transit city (no pun intended) to promote subways is a lost cause and will result in us either getting A) nothing or B) transit city at a much later date at a higher cost.
Subways also take several years to plan and years more to build. Even if the city somehow pulls the billions of dollars of funding it needs out of thin air by the time the planning is finished and construction well under way you'll have many different changes in governance at municipal, provincial and federal levels. All of those new administrations have the ability to pull funding that would be necessary for the subways to get built. Sound unreasonable? Just take a look at the city's history. It happens pretty much every single time there is a shift in power, without fail. Hell, it's <b>happening right now</b> with Ford's plan to scrap transit city.
He's doing the exact same thing he has to pray several other people won't do to him in the 10 years it will take to get this off the ground. The potential for wasted money is <b>huge</b>. We can/will lose potentially billions of dollars on a failed subway plan.
The insane amount of hypocrisy is mind boggling.
So KL, you think I should blame suburban car drivers?
Good grief, man. Fine, in this particular case, we won't blame suburban drivers. We'll blame people like you.
The city simply does not work if there is not a reasonable chance of getting to places in good time, Friday night or not, I thought is was worth a shot. Evidently not.
There are people who have been paid money to look into all of the concerns you seem to have. They've done traffic studies, looked at real estate, made sure infrastructure is capable and overall spent countless hours on it. The result is the current strategy that has long ago addressed all of your concerns even if you continue to pretend they haven't.
It's a complete non-issue.
This "congestion" talk is just Ford supporter double-speak for "something other than my personal vehicle going in the same direction I'm going". The roads will not be congested if you stopped driving your cars to go buy milk. The roads will not be congested if you looked at cyclists and transit users as your peers and encouraged them, instead of considering them mortal enemies who get in your way. Transit City will not get everyone out of their cars, but it will provide an option for those that DO have to drive to the corner store to buy milk. THAT will clear up "congestion".
Everyone is fraking me, me, me. No one likes sitting beside anyone or talking to anyone.
There is no community in that godforsaken city. Just a bunch of middle class people with entitlement issues.
"Thanks, Rob Ford, you fat, enormous, car-obsessed fuckhead. Now we won't have ANY transit expansion for AT LEAST the next five years!"
Wow, I guess it's true: morons like you DO have crystal balls, and can predict the future!
Tell us another nose-streacher there, Jacob!
God, anti-Ford types are mentally challenged.
Ford plans to build ONE subway station per year, genius. That, we can afford.. You know, subways? Those big metal thingies underground that ACTUALLY MOVE PASSENGERS, unlike crappy LRTs?
We should have been building subways thirty years ago, when it would have been more feasible. As much as Toronto wants to site at the grown-up-subway-table, we'll never have a network like New York, Tokyo, Seoul, or London. It's too late for that, and LRTs meet our ridership demands in areas they're proposed.
People love to complain about the St Clair Streetcar, but most of that is about the untimely manner of the project, and lack of communication with the local community when it was being built.
Google this: second avenue subway
LA is also considering expanding its Red Line, and DC is building an extension out to Dulles airport. So yes, some cities are doing it. Hell, *we're* doing it by extending the Spadina line up to Highway 7.
Or you can have the option that has already had funding approved and has been planned for years that would, surprise, serve 100% of the city.
Compare it with transit city which is scheduled to have 26 LRT stops built and running by 2014. Not to mention another 56 stops built by 2020. This is already funded and budgeted for so we don't have to worry about the finances.
So in 10 years we can get a grand total of 10 subway stops or 82 LRT stops. Honestly, I would rather we fork out the damn money and beef up our subway infrastructure (I'm thinking build the DRL, Younge/Spadina further north , Sheppard line out to Scarborough and expand past Kipling into Mississauga) but it's going to mean more taxes. Worth it in the end but I doubt most will agree.
Look, my teenage daughter asked me for a ride. I was sceptical, but I thought I could get her there in time. In hindsight, I was wrong.
We must all take congestion into account every day in this city. But there is no denying congestion costs us all.
Your sneering comments imply that I am some sort of car loving dinosaur. Nothing could be further from the truth. I drive about 7000 km a year, half of which is travel outside the city, and I ride my bicycle to work 7-8 months a year. It reliably gets me to work in under 25 minutes.
However, switching to public transit in the past week, my 5.8 km commute has averaged about 50 minutes the last 4 days (30, 52, 62 and 50 minutes). Believe me, I would like nothing more than reliable public transit.
The mere designation of being an "essential service" is an official acknowledgment of it's importance, thus those staff members aren't just doing any old job, but an "essential" one, and as is the case with police, fire, or paramedics - that translates into more money.
So let's keep track here on Ford's moves so far:
1 - Cut Vehicle Tax = cut $40 million in revenue
2 - Cut Transit City, loose $140 million already spent, pay contract cancellation fees (min: $100 million), end up with $2.8 billion left over to build a subway line he stated as costing $4 billion . . . And the extra billion comes from where? . . .
3 - Declare the TTC an essential service, pay workers even more money.
Doesn't sound like a fiscal conservative to me . . .
I'm not some car-hating young whippersnapper either. My commute is the opposite of yours. It takes longer for me to drive to work than it does to take the subway, it's maybe a 2KM trip in total, door to door. I know the reason for this, but do you?
Billions of dollars will be spent on a subway line that will help MAYBE 20% of the city... versus a million dollar, provincially-funded, almost entirely-paid-for underground system that will help the majority of the city and won't affect driving commuters in the slightest.
Am I off somehow?
I will gladly admit I was not a Ford supporter during the election and still have my doubts... But make no mistake, I want this man to succeed. He has to, for the city's sake.
At the very least, by the time the lines are completed it'll keep congestion from getting worse as density increases.
how come Madrid was able to build subways for a fraction of what the TTC says it will cost?
Their big issue revolves around the fact that the tracks and stations were designed with one type of LRT in mind and is unusable by other LRTs without redoing the entire system. And those LRTs haven't been produced in over 20 years.
The route really isn't extensive enough to create custom trains like they are doing with the subway lines and streetcar lines so going beyond the 'mark I' prefab train that no longer exists has never been an option.
So they can either A) retrofit the entire system or B) get Bombardier to restart production of a dated vehicle that no longer meets the needs of the route. Either way, it's incredibly expensive and so the fleet continues to age and cause problems as a result.
This is a problem that won't happen with the new LRTs because the huge network would make custom orders feasible. They won't ever be limited to prefabs whose production line has ended.
So yeah...not at all accurate to compare the two systems.
My understanding of why LRTs are cheaper per-km is
1) LRT trains and tunnel are smaller size
2) LRT weigh less, so the track foundation can be smaller
3) LRT can switch between surface and underground, such as on the empty median down Eglinton East, so the tunnel doesn't have to be dug all the way.
4) LRT collects fares on-board, so there doesn't have to be a huge station with turnstiles, etc.
If we forget about the connotations of those words, and focus on what we want from a transit line, we'd probably all come up with the same list of things: dedicated tracks, fast, reliable, comfortable, cost effective and able to service as many riders as possible. Here's what i don't get if we're laying new tracks that don't exist and buying cars that are spec'ed to our design, why does it have to be one or the other? Why couldn't new cars be scalable and compatible with our current subway lines?
Like couldn't we spec cars that can be combined in trains as short as a streetcar or as long as a subway? Couldn't we run long trains of them on them current subway tracks and shorter trains of them on the "lighter" new LRT tracks?
Seems the debate has become too politicized, i wish we could just get back to the facts and that the powers would be more transparent with providing real info so that the public could formulate informed opinions.
-Moving to ban strikes at the TTC. The mayor promised to put a resolution urging the province to make the TTC an essential service on the agenda of the new council’s first business meeting Dec. 16.
-Abolishing the $60 vehicle-registration tax, also at the Dec. 16 meeting. He pledged for the first time Wednesday to eliminate the tax effective Jan. 1, something the province has already agreed to. (The province collects the tax and remits it to the city.) However, Mr. Ford said the move wouldn’t be retroactive.
The mayor did not say where he intends to find the money to replace the vehicle-registration tax, which brings in between $40-million and $50-million per year, or how he would replace the revenue he would forego by freezing property taxes.
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because he has no clue, and he is yelling and screaming at people to find a way so he doesn't like look a jack ass.
You're absolutely right that there's nothing that says LRTs can't be combined into subway-length trains. It would mean larger, more expensive, stations, but I trust that the transportation engineers have made those trade-off calculations already.
It seems the biggest difference between LRT and subways is that subways are designed to fit in compact, circular tunnels, so they draw their electricity from a third rail tucked down at trackside.
This is crazy-unsafe at at surface level, so subways need big fenced rights-of-way, which are ugly, need expensive bridges, and divide neighborhoods (ask folks north of Bloor). LRTs safely draw their electricity from an overhead wire (6m in the air), but that means LRTs won't fit in compact, round, subway-sized tunnels underground. LRTs need tall, shallowly-buried tunnels with enough room for the overhead wires.
The Calgary C-train LRT cost as much to build per kilometer as ONE lane of highway. It's a huge hit, just ask a local. There's no reason a Toronto version couldn't be as good.
As for your question, "couldn't a multi car train just run on the same tracks," that's already the plan with LRT.
People really need to stop comparing the TTC to the MTA. It's comparing apples to elephants.
"So in the four years that Rob Ford is mayor he planning on building a grand total of four new subway stops?"
Kyle, that will be FOUR MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS than f-ing Miller ever made!
With Miller, everything was on paper. Worthless.
Besides, do you have any idea of the distance four subway stops can cover? At present. it's not like they're evenly spaced. Look at the distance between Eglinton and Lawrence. Fantastic! I wish Ford luck. One stop per year is reasonable.
Your comparing apples and organges, the Chineese have been able to spit out subways due to penny labour costs and no environmental or property protections. if they want to build a line under your house.. they.. well build it.. they could care less who gets trampled in the name of progress. North America was like this 70 years ago.. not now.
And the case for Madrid paints a city which did no EA's prior to getting the shovels in and has favorable soil conditions in which construction actually takes a little less time then in most other places. .. oh don't forget importing penny labor from the east either!
Subways will never get built, people should stop talking out hot air. Everybody wants to be shuttled nicely underground but nobody wants to pay for it! IN MY LIFETIME.. (only 23) the DRL and extending the Shepperd line west to Downsview will MAYBE happen. Anything else is wishful thinking.
If anybody truly wants subways go volunteer to get paid 2$ a hour and dig the damn thing yourself.
Toronto we need to stop this twilight zone mentality, we have been spoiled compared to other large North American Cites. People cant differentiate a local streetcar from LRT in it's own right of way which can travel at near subway speeds.
That's a sign of political haymaking, but also that Transit City was very badly marketed. I guess if money had been spent on TV ads with videos of what Eglinton & Finch would look like (tunnels, boulevard rail, etc.) it would be condemned as waste. Instead, most people have no idea what they are supporting or condemning.