Transportation Minister defends attempt to wrest control of Toronto transit projects

Ontario Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek is defending the Ford government’s plans to take control of several key Toronto transit projects, saying voters gave the province a clear mandate to do so.

“Part of our (election) platform was to upload the TTC and also to make sure Scarborough got their subway system,” he told 680 NEWS. “We won the election June 7, the people spoke, gave us that mandate.”

Yurek also expressed optimism that Toronto Mayor John Tory would ultimately support the plans, even though Tory said he would have “no choice but to oppose it” if council decides that too much provincial control would be detrimental to the city.

“Mayor Tory and his team have been working quite well with our team, it’s moving on in a positive fashion,” Yurek said. “I think under Mayor Tory’s leadership council will support the plan at the end of the day.

“This is going to be a partnership,” he added. “It’s not necessarily taking over from the City of Toronto without their blessing. We are going to come together…and we are going to build subways.”

Listen to the full raw interview with Yurek below

Yurek acknowledged that there will be some “naysayers” on council.

Joe Cressy is one of them.

Cressy vocally opposes provincial control of Toronto transit, tweeting: “The TTC only works when it is owned and operated by the city.”

The province’s plans were revealed Tuesday night in two letters it sent to TTC Chief Executive Officer Rick Leary and City Manager Chris Murray. The letters outlined how the province would veer from some of the city’s established plans on key projects, including building a three-stop, rather than one-stop, Scarborough subway extension.

Yurek downplayed fears that the extra stops would cause a significant delay.

“I wouldn’t say we are going to have too much of a delay on that project, we can do it quickly,” he said. “We don’t have to go begging for money much like the municipalities have to do … we can make that decision and go forward with this plan.”

“We feel the people of Scarborough would like three stops … and we are willing to deliver that for them.”