It’s a move that has upset the city of Hamilton, the local chamber of commerce and union leaders — the Ford government has walked away from the steel city’s LRT plan.
Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said the planned LRT line would cost far more than promised and leave provincial taxpayers on the hook.
“It is frustrating news, but the stark fiscal reality is that the project will actually cost five times more than the previous government led us all to believe,” she said.
The province claims the total project would cost $5.5 billion — $4.6 billion of which would be capital costs that the province would be expected to pay.
Mulroney said the province can’t fund such a project and has appointed a transit task force to look at more affordable options for the city and report back by the end of February.
A less-costly LRT system is not off the table, said a senior government source and the offer of $1 billion for a transit project still stands.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger called the move a betrayal of the city by the province.
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See Also:
(1) Ontario cancels Hamilton LRT in chaotic announcement; mayor calls it a ‘betrayal’
(2) Ontario asks Ottawa to double numbers of economic immigrants
(3) Ford on teachers, GM and his toughest promise to keep
(4) Ford calls for real solutions on violence, not Trudeau’s dreams
