Toronto’s Transit FutureAngela La Gamba • Toastmasters • April 2014

The Details

• Presentation Format:

o 8 min total: 5 min presentation and 3 min Q&A

• Audience:

o You are concerned citizens of Toronto

• Objectives:

o Provide you with a short history of Toronto’s transit

o Review existing transit problems

o Inform you of potential solutions to help relieve the issue

• Your Goal:

o Jot down notes for the Q&A session at the end

The History

• Then:

• Opened in 1954 with 12 stations

• Toronto subway and rapid transit (RT) was Canada's first completed subway system

• Public transit was one of the essential services identified by Metro Toronto's founders in 1953

The History

• Now:

• #1 in stations in Canada

• 4 lines, 69 stations, 68.3 km of track

• 2nd busiest RT rail network with avg. 940,300 passenger trips each weekday (Q2 2013) behind Montreal’s Metro

• Oh yes, and Mayor Ford

The Problem

• Full-to-capacity subway trains, buses & streetcars

• Long commute times

• Bottlenecked highways / streets due to reliance on car

• Frustrated commuters leading to potential ‘brain drain’ from the region

• TTC gets more funding from the fare box (67%) than any other North American transit system (2011 data)

• TTC is the most expensive single-fare integrated transit system in North America (since 1990)

The Possible Solutions: Toronto’s Transit Projects

Exciting multi-layered projects for the next few decades include:

Light Rail Transit (LRT)

Subway Extensions

Union-Pearson Airport Relief Line

Light Rail Transit (LRT)

• Largest rapid transit expansion in Toronto’s history; 3 lines

• $8.4 billion estimated cost

• 2020 completion date

• Runs above ground & connects Toronto with comfortable, convenient, reliable & fast service

• Nov. 2012: Metrolinx, City of Toronto, TTC signed master agreement for LRT implementation

• Metrolinx will own LRT lines; TTC will operate them

Subway Extensions

Yonge Subway Extension

•Runs north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill Centre/Highway 7 in York Region

•$2.4 billion estimated cost

•Province of Ontario owns capital costs

•TTC designs, builds and operates stations

•6.8 km of new track

•6 proposed new stations

Subway Extensions

Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension

• First TTC rapid transit line to cross the City of Toronto boundary

• $2.6 billion estimated cost

• 8.6 km of new track

• 6 proposed new stations

• Subway service is expected to begin in fall 2016

Union-Pearson Airport Relief Line

• April 2014 Update: City of Toronto & TTC in public consultation process

• Metrolinx vision: • High-quality express rail

service

• Runs from Union Station (downtown Toronto) to Pearson Airport (Terminal 1)

• Improve how people move around the region with network options

• $456 million estimated budget

Q&A Session

In Summary

• Strong history of being a leader in transit for Toronto.

• Toronto needs to regain its glory with public consultations, infrastructure planning, & government approvals and funding.

• Inform yourself of transit projects: LRT, subway extensions, relief lines & more.

• Be an engaged citizen! Talk to your councilor. Attend public meetings. Ask questions.

Thank you!