December 16th, 2019

NDP will fight for Hamilton LRT

Horwath calls Ford’s LRT cancellation a betrayal

HAMILTON – The NDP and its four Hamilton MPPs — including Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath — said Monday they’re going to fight like hell to save the Hamilton LRT, now that Premier Doug Ford has made up an excuse to cancel the long-awaited transit project.

On Monday, Ford’s Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney and Ford MPP Donna Skelly (Flamborough-Glanbrook) announced that the province will try to cancel the badly needed transit project, and tried to justify that attack by claiming it has gotten too expensive. That tale comes before a winning bid to design, build and operate the LRT has even been chosen.

“There is no doubt the Liberal government dragged its feet and failed to get the LRT construction moving before turning the project over to Mr. Ford,” said Horwath, who is the MPP for Hamilton Centre. “But we’ve seen this time and time again over the last 18 months: Doug Ford makes stuff up to justify deep cuts. It’s a betrayal — especially after Mr. Ford and Conservative MPP Donna Skelly repeatedly told Hamiltonians that they’d build this LRT.

“Hamiltonians need a way to get students onto campus, give workers quicker commutes with less congestion so they can get home to their families, and they deserve a way to help get some of the cars off the road. People deserve quicker commutes and less congestion. And if we don’t build now, it’ll only get more expensive to do it as Hamilton keeps booming, and the need for a good LRT system gets more and more dire.”

Hamilton’s New Democrat MPPs —Paul Miller (Hamilton East—Stony Creek), Sandy Shaw (Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas), and Monique Taylor (Hamilton Mountain) were in lock-step with Horwath, saying Hamilton City Council voted more than 60 times to move forward with the project, and for Ford to override city council and Hamilton families is a disgusting way for Ford to wield power.

The NDP believes construction should go forward on the Hamilton LRT, and that the province should fund 50 per cent of the operating expenses.

Ford apparently launched a grudge attack on Hamilton last month, declaring in the legislature that Hamilton “has been run by the NDP — the socialists — who destroyed the city for years. Now these companies are flowing into Hamilton, because of our great MPP."

Quotes

"The final decision as to whether the LRT is built or not does rest with the new city council.”

PC MPP Donna Skelley (Flamborough-Glanbrook), Oct. 4, 2018

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/sgro-telephone-1.4849893

“When people democratically elect someone, if he wants an LRT, he's gonna get an LRT. I know that it's a tough issue in Hamilton. That city's almost split if they want an LRT or not. But I go back to democracy. If someone gets elected, let 'em govern."

Premier Doug Ford, Nov. 28, 2018

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ford-lrt-1.4924067

“If it’s a billion or less the money is there.”

PC MPP Donna Skelley (Flamborough-Glanbrook), Feb. 25, 2019

https://www.hamiltonnews.com/news-story/9192101-flamborough-glanbrook-mpp-donna-skelly-says-hamilton-is-responsible-for-lrt-cost-overruns/

“…the province is still committed to the light rail transit (LRT) money, and it's not going to intervene. That was the message the Flamborough-Glanbrook PC MPP delivered last night in a telephone town hall with mayoral candidate Vito Sgro.”

CBC News, Oct. 4, 2018

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/sgro-telephone-1.4849893

“The provincial PCs unveiled their first budget Thursday, which included a few references to Hamilton. The biggest was "$1 billion towards 14 kilometres of new light rail from McMaster University through downtown Hamilton to Eastgate Square."

CBC News, April 11, 2019

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hamilton-budget-1.5094808