TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford probably won’t be happy about it, but the GTA’s transit authority, Metrolinx,  has unanimously approved a plan to build four light-rail transit (LRT) lines in Toronto by 2020.

The board voted Wednesday to move forward with a slightly different version of former mayor David Miller’s Transit City plan which the current mayor has tried to kill.

The next step is to present the plan to the province which is contributing $8.4-billion to transit expansion in the city.

The four lines include Toronto-Eglinton, Scarborough, Sheppard and Finch. Once Queen’s Park approves the plan, the provincial agency will be authorized to continue with construction on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and move toward finishing all four lines by 2020.

Transportation Minister Bob Chiarelli issued a statement shortly after the Metrolinx vote re-affirming the government’s monetary commitment.

He said the McGuinty government’s focus is on getting shovels in the ground and delivering much-needed public transit projects for the residents of Toronto.

The plan is very similar to the Transit City plan Ford declared dead after he was elected to office. Ford wanted a subway extension along Sheppard East and after losing the vote in March he said his dream was not over.

“This is an election issue, obviously campaign starts now,” said Ford.

The Sheppard East LRT will be the first one built and Metrolinx wants construction to start by 2014 -  the next election year.

The Finch West line would follow the following year.