ATU Local 113 Supports Councillor Matlow’s Motion for Public Inquiry into Eglinton Crosstown LRT

Local 113 endorses the motion brought forward by Councillor Josh Matlow calling for a public inquiry into the significant delays and increased costs by Metrolinx in the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit.

This week’s announcement by the Ford government that the Eglinton Crosstown LRT has been further delayed into 2025 proves yet again the failure of the P3 (Private-Public-Partnerships) privatization model, which when applied to public transit hurts communities across Toronto wards.  The damage caused in this procurement process presents in many forms – from lost economic opportunity costs to the inconvenience of day-to-day transit travel, and the loss of small business with no end date in sight. The public is left to also deal with years of delays well-past the original 2020 deadline and costs going upwards of 500 million of taxpayer dollars over budget as last reported and still counting.

Transparency and accountability demonstrate that our government is acting in our best interest. For too long P3s in Ontario have been allowed to keep the public in the dark about project timelines extended without any accountability and costs which are spiraling out of control without any transparency.

It’s very disappointing that the call for a public inquiry must be raised once again at City Hall due to the actions of the previous mayor thwarting efforts of trying to establish transparency and a level of accountability to the citizens of Toronto. We can only imagine where things would be now had Councillor Matlow’s original motion for transparency been passed in December 2022 at the council meeting.

Allowing Councillor Matlow’s motion for the public inquiry to move forward this time around is the right thing to do. This should be seen as an opportunity for the truth to be revealed, so better decisions and measures for accountability can be put in place and the impact on citizens be minimized. The transportation minister and the Metrolinx CEO should also welcome the opportunity to sit before the executive committee and discuss the issues in a public forum. There is growing frustration in the community and the citizens deserve concrete answers that go beyond canned public relations releases and half truths.

Local 113 fully applauds and endorses Councillor Matlow’s motion to a public inquiry into the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and are hopeful that the council comes together to pass the motion in order to get to the bottom of the hidden issues.  Here is an opportunity for public service to take centre stage again. An opportunity for public trust to be regained. Anything less, would be unscrupulous.

 

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