Posts Tagged ‘Blue 22’
I Was Proud to Join The Clean Train Coalition's "Human Train" in the West End On Saturday
I first wrote about the ‘Blue 22′ proposal on January 5th 2009 in an entry called Blue 22 Has All the Makings of a Bad Idea
Here are some relevant portions of what I said then and continue to believe today. For those who read my blog regularly, please note my concerns with poor process, and gutting of environmental assessments pre-dates my exposure to this issue through the Green Energy Act, which did not become an issue until the middle of February.
“One aspect of planning I absolute cannot abide is anything that circumvents Ontario’s Environmental Assessment process. Ontario’s EA process is designed to protect our environment through researching the impacts projects will have on the local area. I would suspect running diesel burning trains through a residential neighbourhood four times an hour, most hours of the day, seven days a week, is bound to have an environmental impact that is worth knowing before the project is completed. Sadly, it appears the Province of Ontario will not force the proponents of Blue 22 to go through the rigourous process that would demonstrate some of the weaknesses in their plan.” - Blue 22 Has All the Makings of a Bad Idea – January 5th 2009 – John Laforet
“Can you imagine that in 2009 there are still proponents for diesel intra-city transit trains? I would hate to imagine a meeting of a bunch of guys from Metrolinx and SNC Lavlin sitting around a board room wondering what that “third rail” was for on the TTC’s Subway and RT tracks. If these guys want to build a project that is both unnecessary and unpopular, they should at least be environmentally friendly and use technology that the TTC has been using successfully for it’s subway trains since 1954. An electric train system is nothing new, and should be the only type of train being considered for future intra city train projects. Further, Bombardier – a Canadian company with a solid train building facility in Thunder Bay is capable fo building such trains. In a time of economic recession – would it not make sense to build new trains as a form of stimulus as opposed to refurbishing trains that are not environmentally friendly?” - Blue 22 Has All the Makings of a Bad Idea – January 5th 2009 – John Laforet
“Projects without merit are bad enough, but when one starts messing around with the law to make it easier for their bad project to go through I get worried. When it is public money I get even more worried. It is my hope that Metrolinx will realize there are far better transit projects and if they are of the opinion a train needs to go to the airport, use the Transit City plan of the TTC to make it happen as part of the light rail transit plan.” - Blue 22 Has All the Makings of a Bad Idea – January 5th 2009 – John Laforet
I joined the Clean Train Coalition’s ‘Human Train’ on Saturday along with nearly 1000 other concerned residents of Toronto. The group set up a march along the streets near the tracks where Metrolinx ‘Blue 22′ proposal would happen. Metrolinx is a provincial, regional transit planning body that among other things is charged with developing a rail system to the Airport from the downtown core.
Instead of proposing an environmentally sound solution, one that residents could support, the Provincial government has instead decided to call for 450 diesel trains to run through these residential communities daily to serve airport passengers. Residents in the affected communities recognize that their area does have a role to play in assisting travellers from the airport to the city centre, but object to a faulty environmental assessment process that has seen viable alternatives ignored, and impacts downplayed. They are calling for a sensible solution. One that meets the needs of Metrolinx and prevents negative environmental and health impacts for residents.
Do I live in the West End of Toronto? Not even close. In fact, I personally knew so little about the neighbourhoods that I got lost on foot on my way to the rally. This is so far from my backyard, I would have absolutely no idea what was going on along the tracks if Metrolinx went forward. So why do I care what happens? The answer is simple. While the Clean Train Coalition folks probably don’t know it, their fight is the same as the fight in Scarborough with Toronto Hydro. It’s the same fight the folks in South Mississauga have with the Ontario Power Authority. It’s the same fight happening in countless communities across Ontario opposing other government sanctioned big impact infrastructure projects.
The process in place for community consultation is weak. Environmental oversight for transit projects and renewable energy projects is fatally flawed and incidentally the Environmental Assessment process designed for Mextrolinx use in this community is the template for renewable energy projects. No science is being considered by the proponent, who instead relies on spin, support from the Provincial government and abuse of process as a means to get the project through. When process breaks down, procedural situations become political quick.
I joined residents of the Clean Train Coalition on Saturday because they too have been ignored by the Government MPPs who ‘represent’ (a term I am using very liberally here) their communities. Their legitimate concerns are being ignored, and democracy railroaded. This is unacceptable whenever it happens, and I was pleased to be able to support a coalition of communities fighting back (sound familiar?)
Process is extremely important, and until government is prepared to get it right there will be Clean Train Coalitions, Save the Toronto Bluffs, Wind Concerns Ontarios, Stop Dump Site 41s and other organizations that see citizens really live up to their obligation to encourage and defend democracy through action.
I was proud to march with approximately a thousand Toronto residents and see so many parents who brought their young children out to show them how democracy works between elections. Watching a child draw a protest sign, or hearing a parent explaining why they were walking, chanting and carrying signs is a very powerful thing. I was happy to do my part, and walk the walk on the environment with the good people of the Clean Train Coalition and genuinely hope that Metrolinx bows to pressure and eletrifies the trains.
Failing that, I’d like to see Toronto City Council step in and fight the Provincial Government on behalf of all residents who live in breathe in our City.
One thing is for sure, residents will not be going away. They are in this fight for the long haul. Olivia Chow, Cheri Di Novo and a number of NDP leaning City Councillors have been great advocates for these communities, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see this play out as an election issue in York South Weston and Davenport where the Liberals hold the seats and have been failing to act. Whoever plans to ‘also ran’ against Di Novo for the Ontario Liberals in Parkdale-Highpark will also likely face this issue head on and find themselves with real difficulty if Metrolinx goes forward.
3 Comments »Blue 22 Has All the Makings of a Bad Idea
I am going to start by saying I am generally not a fan of projects where the proponent does not know what the cost will be prior to construction. That is a concern that causes me to look deeper at the merits of the plan. The Blue 22 folks also don’t know how long it will take to build. Metrolinx took the project over from Go Transit, after the six year process that so far has only led to community outrage in the Weston area. Metrolinx also isn’t sure if they will make any changes to the plan that Go Transit proposed. Metrolinx are the same guys who came up with a comprehensive $50 billion dollar regional transit plan for the next 25 years. The single largest problem with their vision for the GTA’s transit plan? They were able to rule out sources of financing (road tolls in particular) but unable to explain where or how they would source the $50 billion.
Residents of the Weston area in Toronto have gotten together over concerns with the Blue 22 project which would bring diesel trains through their community every fifteen minutes while providing no actual benefit to the community itself. Lack of host community benefit is also something I generally take issue with as it relates to infrastructure projects. Check out the Weston Community Coalition website for both comprehensive information on the project and the groups activities.
One aspect of planning I absolute cannot abide is anything that circumvents Ontario’s Environmental Assessment process. Ontario’s EA process is designed to protect our environment through researching the impacts projects will have on the local area. I would suspect running diesel burning trains through a residential neighbourhood four times an hour, most hours of the day, seven days a week, is bound to have an environmental impact that is worth knowing before the project is completed. Sadly, it appears the Province of Ontario will not force the proponents of Blue 22 to go through the rigourous process that would demonstrate some of the weaknesses in their plan. Suggesting Blue 22’s people could do in six months what everyone else would have to do in three years is nonsensical. Especially when they don’t have a price tag, a time line or an appreciation of any possible changes they may make to a project they’re still getting to know.
Can you imagine that in 2009 there are still proponents for diesel intra-city transit trains? I would hate to imagine a meeting of a bunch of guys from Metrolinx and SNC Lavlin sitting around a board room wondering what that “third rail” was for on the TTC’s Subway and RT tracks. If these guys want to build a project that is both unnecessary and unpopular, they should at least be environmentally friendly and use technology that the TTC has been using successfully for it’s subway trains since 1954. An electric train system is nothing new, and should be the only type of train being considered for future intra city train projects. Further, Bombardier – a Canadian company with a solid train building facility in Thunder Bay is capable fo building such trains. In a time of economic recession – would it not make sense to build new trains as a form of stimulus as opposed to refurbishing trains that are not environmentally friendly?
This project seems like a public policy mess to me and a plan built on faulty logic. I am a big fan of Spacing – the magazine of the Toronto Public Space Committee, and while I don’t necessarily agree with TPSC all the time, the commentary on Blue 22 in August was certainly insightful. They pointed out that just 17% of folks landing at Pearson are heading for downtown Toronto. Take a look at their article Shoo, Blue 22 for some of the alternatives they suggest.
Finally – as someone who has found themselves at Pearson on at least thirty occasions this in 2008 (I only flew myself once) the vast majority of my travels to and from Pearson were done by either taking the 192 Airport Rocket to Kipling Station and then the subway to wherever I was going, or the 58 Malton to Lawrence West Station and the subway to where ever I was going. Either of these will take just over an hour to get to Union station at a bargain rate of $2.75 for adults or by showing your metro pass and a smile to the Bus Driver. Both run every ten to fifteen minutes. If you need to arrive at the airport before or after the Subway stops for the night, then the 300A will take you there. It usually runs every half hour along the Bloor/Danforth subway line every half hour. If the TTC isn’t your style you can spend $18.50 and take the Airport Express bus to a number of Toronto Hotels in the downtown core. U of T’s Chestnut Residence (behind City Hall), the Royal York, the Westin (at Harbourfront) and the Delta Cheslea at Yonge and Gerrard are among the pick up and drop off options. And if the Airport Express doesn’t strike your fancy, then there are always a number of Taxi’s or Airport Limos who will gladly take sixty five bucks off of you for a thirty to forty minute drive to the downtown core.
The TTC service to the airport is amazing. I’ve always enjoyed it, always had a seat and found it time competitive with the other options. Between the TTC, private bus lines, Airport Limos and Taxi’s, Blue 22 is going to be joining an already crowded field that vies for the 17% of Pearson flyers who are seeking to get to the core. It is a project without merit, and one that is going to operate using trains that are not even the ideal technology for the job.
In closing, Blue 22 in my opinion is a project without merit. There are already a multitude of options to get to and from the airport and two that currently cost less and have less of a negative environmental impact than a mostly empty train spewing diesel smoke in residential neighbourhoods would have. The 17% of travellers heading into the downtown core, to my knowledge are not stranded at the airport waiting for a magic train to take them downtown. They’ve found other ways that presumably work and will continue to after this project is either abandonned or built. Projects without merit are bad enough, but when one starts messing around with the law to make it easier for their bad project to go through I get worried. When it is public money I get even more worried. It is my hope that Metrolinx will realize there are far better transit projects and if they are of the opinion a train needs to go to the airport, use the Transit City plan of the TTC to make it happen as part of the light rail transit plan.
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