TORONTO, Ont. - Toronto mayoralty candidate Rocco Rossi rolled out his vision for public transit in the city, Tuesday.
The basis of his platform, which he's called "transit city plus," involves selling off city assets like Toronto Hydro, and putting the money towards transit.
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here to read Rossi's full statement.
The plan would cost $4.5-billion over 10 years, and would result in new subways, buses and first-class technology.
Rossi made the announcement from the Kay Gardner Beltline Park Bridge, which is located south of Davisville subway station.
The mayoralty candidate said he is not anti-transit, but simply pro-subway.
Rossi said $450-million is spent each year to carry the city's debt, and his goal would be to make the city debt-free by selling off city assets, and use the money to pay for new subways, and not more streetcars.
"You make a long-term commitment, a 10-year commitment, that all of those savings are going to be pumped into transit expansion," Rossi said. "And you've got a fund of $4.5-billion to put on the table with the province, so that we get real transit city and not streetcar city."
Some highlights of his plan include:
- Continuous tunnelling of two kilometres and one new station to open each year
- Better bus fleet and more service to the inner boroughs
- Stronger relationship with Metrolinx to strengthen transit on a regional basis
- New investment in world-class technology
- Expanded role for the private sector
- Clean, well-lit stations and vehicles; courteous service
Rossi also has been critical of Councillor Howard Moscoe's anti-McGuinty government bumper sticker campaign. Rossi said you cannot treat the province that way when trying to ask them for money.