Living in Toronto means transit is a part of our daily lives. Planning and delivering reliable public transit is essential to ensuring our community remains a great place to live and work.
This means making sure we have the road infrastructure we need, and expanding the alternatives so more residents can get out of traffic and onto transit or bikes. I’ll keep pushing for better cycling infrastructure locally and connecting Ward 14 to the downtown, and for smart investments in public transit expansion for reliable transit.
Our community knows first-hand that transit planning and construction can be disruptive and frustrating. I’m committed to work with you to ensure that the disruption is minimized, and that getting around our neighbourhood is as easy as possible.
Ontario Line
In August 2019 the Province enacted Regulation 248/19, which resulted in the Relief Line South, Relief Line North, Scarborough Subway Extension, and Yonge North Subway Extension all becoming projects solely under the jurisdiction of Metrolinx.
The regulations also replaced the TTC’s Relief Line South (approved in 2017) and planning for the Relief Line North with Metrolinx’s Ontario Line.
In February 2023 Paula along with Councillors Ausma Malik and Chris Moise started the Subcommittee on Ontario Line Construction in response to concerns from residents and community stakeholders about Metrolinx's lack of public engagement and communication on construction impacts. Read more here.
Construction on the Ontario Line east of the Don River is set to begin soon. While it will deliver needed transit to our community and across the city, the impact of this construction will be felt here in Toronto-Danforth for many years. Read Paula's initial update on all of the transit projects and other major city work in our ward beginning in the spring and summer of 2023.
Learn more about the Ontario Line.
GO Expansion
Metrolinx is currently working on a GO Expansion Program. Their plan includes new train technology on the Barrie, Lakeshore, Stouffville and Kitchener lines in order to accommodate faster trains offering all-day trips, going two ways, as quickly as every 15 minutes. The GO expansion program is already underway incrementally.
As a part of that project, Metrolinx is proposing to build a new facility in the Don Valley. More information on this can be found on the Metrolinx website.
Community groups and local residents have raised concerns about the nature and location of this facility. You can read more about that in this Toronto Star article. Though Metrolinx made some changes as a result of public concerns – questions about both the revised location and the consultation process have arisen. So, I moved several successful motions at City Council on September 30th to help the community get the matter addressed.
Leslie Barns
The TTC is committed to making its services accessible and modern. As part of this commitment the TTC has replaced its fleet of streetcars with new, low floor, accessible vehicles. In order to maintain the new fleet, the TTC has built a new maintenance and storage facility, located at the corner of Leslie St. and Lake Shore Blvd.
TTC Second Exit Projects
Second exit work is underway Donlands Station and Greenwood Station to improve customer safety and convenience.
Read more about the TTC’s second exit planning and consultation process.
