Feds help tackle TTC’s $2.7B backlog

Faster. Stronger. Safer. More accessible. This is how Toronto Mayor John Tory and Finance Minister Bill Morneau see the TTC operating with the injection of new nuts-and-bolts funding announced at St Clair West Station on Aug. 23, 2016.

Hundreds of millions of new dollars will immediately begin to flow into the TTC’s capital program, via a new federal/municipal infrastructure fund, for vehicle repair and overhaul, track replacement and rehabilitation, elevator installations, escalator enhancements and overall infrastructure maintenance and improvements.

“I can’t be more excited about the impact that these investments are going to have on our city and on our economy and on helping to create a higher living standard for all the people who live here,” Morneau said. He added that more funding will be announced in the coming months, which will focus on expansion of the transit network through new lines and services.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier announced an agreement on Phase 1 of the long-term infrastructure plan, the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF).

The new funding is allocated on the basis of ridership levels, and during his visit to Greenwood Shop on May 6, Trudeau pledged up to $840 million in public transit funding for Toronto.

The first phase of infrastructure funding unveiled in the Federal Budget last March included up to $3.4 billion over three years to upgrade and improve public transit systems across Canada. Starting this year, $1.5 billion will flow to the province and up to $840 million to the City and the TTC for continued state-of-good-repair work.

The TTC’s 2016-2025 Capital Budget was approved by City Council on Feb. 17. The budget was approved as submitted to the TTC Board on Nov. 23, 2015. The budget continues to provide for state-of-good-repair projects and legislated requirements (92 per cent of the total in the 10-year envelope). But over the next five-year period, the TTC is facing an $830-million shortfall; and over the total 10-year-period the shortfall grows to $2.7 billion. The federal funding will make a big dent in that shortfall.

The Federal PTIF is covering 50 per cent of the cost of eligible projects, with the City of Toronto providing matching funds (retroactive to April 1, 2016). Here’s the TTC’s preliminary list of priority projects:

• Bridges/Structures Maintenance: $4,731,500
• Toronto Rocket/T1 Rail Yard Accommodation: $4,910,000
• Subway Facility Renewal Program: $4,263,500
• Fire Main Replacement at Wilson Yard: $4,009,500
• Retrofit of Carhouse and Shop Traction Power Pendant System: $619,500
• Line 2 Bloor-Danforth Automatic Train Control Resignalling: $4,500,000
• Subway Escalator Overhaul Program: $5,534,500
• Escalator Replacement Program: $1,300,000
• Subway Pump Replacement Program: $3,376,500
• Fire Ventilation Upgrade: $1,375,000
• Backflow Preventers: $1,243,500
• On-Grade Paving: $4,786,500
• Structural Paving: $1,887,500
• Skylight Replacement Program: $85,000
• Stations Transformation (including Zone Hubs): $9,185,500
• Subway Track Rehabilitation Program: $14,097,500
• Subway Turnout Rehabilitation Program: $11,470,000
• Subway Rail Grinding: $2,874,500
• Train Door Monitoring System: T1/TR Overhaul and Communications: $17,569,000
• T1 Subway Cars: 20-Year Overhaul: $5,772,000
• T1 Subway Cars: 15-Year Overhaul: $11,191,500
• TR Subway Cars: 7-Year Overhaul: $4,386,000
• Subway Workcars: $7,710,000
• LRV Carhouse Facility and Renewal: $378,000
• Surface Track Replacement Program: $23,032,500
• Surface Special Trackwork Replacement Program: $8,152,500
• Reconstruction of Streetcar Overhead: $8,219,000
• Life-Extension Overhaul of 40 Articulated Light Rail Vehicles: $12,955,000
• Bus Hoists: $8,084,000
• Bus Washracks: $2,973,500
• Platform Modifications to Accommodate Articulated Buses: $10,000,000
• Transit Signal Priorities: $13,495,000
• Purchase of 4 of 99 Low-Floor 40 foot Diesel Buses for Customer Service Initiatives: $1,315,000
• Orion VII Diesel and Nova Articulate Bus Rebuild Program: $41,465,000
• Replacement of Orion VII Hybrid Bus Components: $8,423,500
• 60-foot bus fleet: $531,000
• Automatic Passenger Counts expansion to remainder of TTC 40-foot bus fleet and ALRVs: $4,659,000
• Automatic Passenger Counts equipment on LRV fleet order: $350,000
• Customer-Facing Information Screens: $2,500,000
• VISION (CAD/AVL): $15,000,000
• Easier Access Phase III: $3,475,000
• AODA Requirements: Subway Fleet, Buses, Streetcars: $5,163,500
• T1 Pre-Boarding Announcement System: $1,573,000
• 201 Wheel-Trans Buses: $4,345,000
• Wheel-Trans Friendly Bus Rebuild Program: $2,115,500
• Bus Stop Improvements for Accessibility: $10,000,000
• Wheel-Trans Transformation Program: $4,780,500
• Maintenance of Joint TTC/Toronto Transportation Bridges: $2,073,500
• Tunnel and Station Leak Remediation Program: $4,892,500
• Structure Rehabilitation Program: $16,479,500
• Storage Tanks-Oil Interceptors: $640,000
• Subway Asbestos Removal Program: $3,793,500
• Roofing Rehabilitation Program: $12,126,500

To the City flows funding for the preliminary list of transit-related planning and design projects:

• Union Station Infrastructure: $750,000
• Finch West LRT Early Works: $25,000,000
• SmartTrack Planning and Design: $3,000,000
• Eglinton West LRT Planning and Design: $3,500,000
• Scarborough Subway Extension Planning and Design: $125,000
• Eglinton East LRT Planning and Design: $3,500,000
• Relief Line Planning and Design: $27,760,000
• Waterfront Transit Design: $1,800,000
• Surface Transit Operational Improvement Studies: $250,000
• Bicycle parking at 40 TTC stations: $425,000
• Bike Share Toronto Expansion at 50 TTC stations: $1,250,000
• Burnhamthorpe/Renforth Boulevard multi-use trail to Kipling Station: $1,045,000
• Transit Signal Priority System Renewal Study: $50,000
• New mid-block crossings to transit stops: $1,500,000