November 5th, 2015

Liberals won’t say how much control of public transit they handed over to private interests in LRT deal: NDP

Today in the legislature, NDP Urban Transit critic Cheri DiNovo asked the Minister of Transportation why he continues to refuse to explain how much control over public transit the government has handed over in its 30-year deal to a private consortium to maintain the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. 

“Two days ago, the government announced a 30-year deal with a private consortium to maintain the Eglinton Crosstown LRT,” said DiNovo. “We have asked the government for the full RFP document for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which was given to private bidders almost two years ago. The government won’t release it.”

The private corporations controlling the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will need to work with the TTC and the City of Toronto to ensure the new LRT interacts properly with local transit, explained DiNovo.

“We have no idea how this will even work. We asked for documents concerning the government’s plans to fully privatize the Eglinton Crosstown a few years ago,” said DiNovo. “All we got back was 2,500 blank pages.”

Infrastructure Ontario refuses to release further details.

“Why is the minister keeping it from the public?” demanded DiNovo.