Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney has introduced legislation that will help deliver Ontario’s four priority subway projects on-time and on-budget.
“In order to keep up with the tremendous growth in the region, we have to build modern, efficient rapid transit,” said Mulroney. “It will not only generate years of employment, it will allow us to better connect a world-class city and develop transit-oriented communities.”
The Building Transit Faster Act would provide the province with the tools to expedite the planning, design, and construction process that has delayed major projects in the past. If passed, the legislation would remove roadblocks and give the Province the ability needed to deliver projects faster by:
- Relocating utilities more efficiently while treating businesses fairly, and ensuring costs are not passed on to consumers;
- Ensuring the assembly of land required to construct stations, conduct tunneling and prepare sites, while treating property owners fairly;
- Ensuring timely access to municipal services and rights-of-way;
- Allowing Ontario to inspect and remove physical barriers with appropriate notification to property owners; and
- Ensuring nearby developments or construction projects are coordinated so they do not delay the four priority subway projects.
The projects include the all-new Ontario Line, the Yonge North Subway Extension, the three-stop Scarborough Subway Extension, and the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and will address the increasing demand for safe and reliable transportation options.
The proposed changes support the government’s commitment to making public transit an attractive, affordable, and low-stress alternative to get people where they want to go, when they want to get there.
The proposed legislation includes steps to make the relocation of utilities, such as gas or electrical, more efficient by requiring their infrastructure to be moved within a set timeframe and introduces a structured and consistent process for engaging and coordinating work.
