Citytv news reports that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford met with the TTC’s chief general manager, Gary Webster this morning to tell him to abandon the Transit City network of light rail transit lines and start focusing, instead, on building subways.
Earlier in the day, the mayor told 680 All-News Radio, “Transit City’s over.”
The TTC will report to City Council in about six weeks how much time and money it will take to replace the Transit City plan with the Mayor’s vision for subways.
The City and TTC have already spent about $130 million on the project. Suppliers would likely require the City to pay penalties for breaking contracts worth a total of $1.3 billion.
The mayor will likely have to ask the province for help to build subways. Queen’s Park has already provided significant funding for Transit City and Ford may be forced to pay back some of that money.
According to the Citytv report, Webster said work on an underpass will continue on Sheppard Avenue at the Agincourt GO Station whether it’s an LRT or subway going in. That construction is under a Metrolinx contract.