City Council votes in favour of a subway extension in Scarborough

After two days of debate, Toronto City Council today (July 17) voted 28-16 in favour of replacing the Scarborough RT conversion and extension to LRT with a subway extension from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Centre. As a result, the Bloor-Danforth Subway will be extended north by three stations to Sheppard Avenue.

Based on a motion presented by Councillor Joe Mihevc to Mayor Rob Ford’s original motion, support for this subway extension is contingent upon new federal funding equal to 50 per cent of net capital costs; a provincial contribution of $1.8 billion; and that no other funding currently allocated to the Sheppard, Finch and Eglinton Crosstown LRTs, or other City services, are to be re-allocated to the Bloor-Danforth line easterly extension.

The vote commits the City of Toronto to contributing its share to funding the subway construction through development charges and a property tax increase on both residential and non-residential properties.

The vote also authorizes the City Manager to negotiate necessary changes to the Metrolinx Master Agreement only as it pertains to the conversion of the Scarborough LRT to a Scarborough Subway.

Last November, the TTC and Metrolinx signed an agreement that would see the TTC operate the four new LRT lines being built and financed by the Province of Ontario: Eglinton Crosstown, Sheppard East, Finch West and the SRT-to-LRT conversion/extension.

This week’s debate was sparked by a City Council vote last May indicating support for the Bloor-Danforth extension from Kennedy Station to Scarborough Centre and Sheppard Avenue.