Provincial Transportation Minister Says Queen’s Park Won’t Back OneCity

By Steve Kupferman

Bob Chiarelli, Ontario’s transportation minister, told reporters earlier today that the province will not support the OneCity transit plan, announced with great fanfare by TTC Chair Karen Stintz and vice-Chair Glenn De Baeremaeker earlier this week. “This is not acceptable,” said Chiarelli of the 30-year, $30-billion proposal to expand rapid transit throughout the city. “It will only result in protracted debate and more delays. We cannot allow this conversation to deter us from the immediate public transit implementation needs.” This is a problem for OneCity’s backers, because the proposal relies on the province covering some its construction costs, and also granting Toronto some new taxation powers. Meanwhile, Chiarelli did have good news for Toronto’s transit riders. He told reporters that the Liberal cabinet has given its approval to the light-rail transit plan approved by city council in March.