Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger on the report of the Hamilton Transportation Task Force
HAMILTON, ON – I am pleased that the report of Hamilton Transportation Task Force, appointed by the Doug Ford government to recommend the best options for transportation projects for this community identifies the Light Rail Transit (LRT) project as the Task Force’s best recommendation.
- Recommendation 1 is for the government to invest in “higher order transit”.
- Recommendation 2 says the Task Force’s preference is for “intra-city” transit which is LRT or BRT.
- Recommendation 6 asks the Ontario government to engage the federal government for funding
- Recommendation 7 suggests the Ontario government seek alternative financing models which means private sector involvement.
- Recommendation 8 says if there is not enough funding forthcoming from the federal government or the private sector that the Ontario government should look at a phased LRT that can be expanded later.
- Recommendation 10 says further study would be required for a BRT project because it would require a wider right of way.
The Task Force is clearly recommending LRT as the best option. LRT is shovel ready and ready to go ensuring economic benefits can be realized faster. BRT is a fallback which would require further study.
The report is timely as we anticipate restarting our economy following the COVID-19 pandemic. The LRT project is the only shovel-ready project that will create thousands of jobs, economic uplift, increase affordable housing, cut CO2 emissions and will replace aging underground services such as water and waste water which would otherwise be the responsibility of local property taxpayers.
Analysis within the report shows the LRT project is the most-studied transit project in our city’s history, and confirms what we already know, which is that LRT delivers the best bang for the buck in terms of transit, jobs and economic transformation. LRT projects are proven to intensify economies and bring exponential growth to municipalities, re-confirming LRT is the best option for Hamilton residents and businesses.
This has been a valuable process to the extent that it confirms for Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney that LRT is the best option for fulfilling the Ford government’s transportation commitment to the City of Hamilton.
I wish to thank Minister Mulroney and I have told her that I am ready to work with her, the federal government and other partners to work out next steps for this project.
My sincere thanks to the Hamilton Transportation Task Force members, each of whom is a respected member of our community and who answered a call to serve their City.