Mayor Rob Ford continues his effort to nail down financing for his proposed Sheppard Avenue subway extension ahead of a council meeting on transit later this month, where the light-rail transit (LRT) option is expected to receive support.
Ford has been meeting with various councillors and developers about transit funding. A $100 vehicle tax, a parking levy, road tolls and increased development fees along Sheppard were reportedly discussed.
The council transit meeting, originally scheduled to happen March 15, has been pushed back to March 21.
On Thursday, Ford insisted he’s “the last person to implement new taxes” and he laughed off reports about the $100 car tax.
“That’s just absolutely false,” he said on John Tory’s radio show. “I will guarantee I will never bring back a car registration tax anytime, as long as I’m alive.” One of the mayor’s first acts in office was to axe the $60 vehicle registration tax put in place under former mayor David Miller.
Ford says he has $1 billion from various sources, including development fees, and provincial and federal funds, to start digging on Sheppard.
“We do not have to use any of these new revenue tools,” he said.
Ford rode to victory on a promise to build subways, but his plan hasn’t quite passed the financing test.
Last month council endorsed TTC chair Karen Stintz’s surface LRT plan for Eglinton and Finch. Her plan also included the formation of an expert panel to report back on the viability of an underground Sheppard extension. That panel will deliver its findings — which are reportedly going to back LRT – at the March 21 meeting.
Meanwhile, the mayor’s brother Coun. Doug Ford has floated some ideas of his own, including tolled highway lanes, a transit lottery and a casino in his north Etobicoke ward, according to published reports. The mayor has said he’s against road tolls.
Coun. Ford and provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak attended an Emery Village Business Improvement Association meeting Thursday night where the LRT vs. subway issue was discussed.
Coun. Ford didn't immediately return a call from CityNews.ca for comment.
“Local business owners tell me world-class transit for Toronto means subways. I agree,” Hudak tweeted.