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The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Line will be a critical part of Toronto's new rapid transit backbone, says City of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. It will help reduce gridlock by letting people move from home to work, to shopping and back to their families faster than travelling on surface roads, he added.
Ontario is Canada's economic engine, the Premier noted recently. It is turning the corner on the recession and leading Canada's economic recovery, he assured. However, to keep moving forward, the province needs to be able to attract talented newcomers to its borders. "That's essential to our future prosperity," he stressed.
With this in mind Ontario is calling on the federal government to enter into an agreement that would give it the same rights and responsibilities as other provinces. This means Ontario would be able to provide seamless services to its increasing immigrant population.
"We're also asking the federal government to join us in negotiating a new accord that builds on the Canada/Ontario immigration agreement which recently expired. We're asking them to abide by its terms. Because, since we signed the agreement in 2005, the federal government has failed to live up to its terms," Premier McGuinty continued.
Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx regards the Crosstown project as a priority in regional transportation plans. His agency is pleased to be moving this project forward. "This service will provide an important east-to-west connection across the city that will support future growth, improve mobility and enhance the economic, social and environmental well being in Toronto," he visualizes.
The Crosstown will substantially expand the Toronto Transit Commission's underground network and bring faster, more convenient and more comfortable service to passengers. It will move people across town 60 per cent faster than the bus service on the corridor today.
The Crosstown proposes to enhance the economic, social and environmental quality of life in Toronto. By replacing buses with rapid underground transit, gridlock and air pollution will be eased.
Meanwhile the Premier notes right now Ontario is being held back by an uneven playing field created by the federal government's immigration policies that are tilted in favour of Manitoba, BC and Quebec. Each of those three provinces has more control over immigration than we do here in Ontario, he notes.
Dealing with the federal government's refusal to give Ontario the same controls, McGuinty specifically wants the feds to devolve to Ontario authority to administer, plan and design its own integration and settlement programs for newcomers.
"We also want more say in the selection of immigrants coming to Ontario, so we can make choices that support our economic growth," he emphasizes.

November 16, 2011 issue
Greater Toronto
25 kms more transit lines by 2020

Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Project: Route map showing the over 25 km proposed transit line between Eglinton Avenue near Black Creek Drive in the west to Kennedy Station in the east, running in a tunnel except for sections of the Don Valley and near Black Creek and Kennedy Stations. The line will run along the existing grade-separated guideway for the Scarborough RT between Kennedy Station and Scarborough Centre. Along the route will be 26 new stations, Light Rail Vehicles, maintenance and storage facilities, and rail and signal systems.
By William Doyle-Marshall Ontario's Premier Dalton McGuinty was on hand last week for the start of work on the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown line, one of the largest transit expansion projects in North America today. The new line will help keep the city moving by running about 25 kilometres mostly underground along Eglinton Avenue from Black Creek Drive to Kennedy Station. It will be partially elevated between Kennedy Station and Scarborough City Centre and will provide rapid transit across the Eglinton corridor. The 25 km line will run underground from Jane/Black Creek Drive to Kennedy Station, then on a structure completely separated from traffic to the Scarborough City Centre. It will link subway lines and replace the Scarborough RT with a modern, reliable service. Up to 26 stations are to be include and that service is expected to be in operation in 2020. Construction on the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown line is expected to reduce travel times and help create tens of thousands of jobs. Through Metrolinx – a provincial Crown agency – the Province of Ontario will be investing $8.2 billion to build the new line. Ontario is working to grow the economy of the future by creating good jobs for families in the face of global economic uncertainty. "We're investing in projects that create jobs and strengthen our economy. The new line is creating construction jobs today and will get people where they need to be with faster, reliable public transit when it's finished," Premier McGuinty assured. Building better public transit is part of the McGuinty government's plan to create and support jobs for Ontario families while securing the province's future in the new global economy.

Premier McGuinty at the start of work on the Eglinton crosstown LRT Line. Pix by William Doyle-Marshall
The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Line will be a critical part of Toronto's new rapid transit backbone, says City of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford. It will help reduce gridlock by letting people move from home to work, to shopping and back to their families faster than travelling on surface roads, he added. Ontario is Canada's economic engine, the Premier noted recently. It is turning the corner on the recession and leading Canada's economic recovery, he assured. However, to keep moving forward, the province needs to be able to attract talented newcomers to its borders. "That's essential to our future prosperity," he stressed. With this in mind Ontario is calling on the federal government to enter into an agreement that would give it the same rights and responsibilities as other provinces. This means Ontario would be able to provide seamless services to its increasing immigrant population. "We're also asking the federal government to join us in negotiating a new accord that builds on the Canada/Ontario immigration agreement which recently expired. We're asking them to abide by its terms. Because, since we signed the agreement in 2005, the federal government has failed to live up to its terms," Premier McGuinty continued. Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx regards the Crosstown project as a priority in regional transportation plans. His agency is pleased to be moving this project forward. "This service will provide an important east-to-west connection across the city that will support future growth, improve mobility and enhance the economic, social and environmental well being in Toronto," he visualizes. The Crosstown will substantially expand the Toronto Transit Commission's underground network and bring faster, more convenient and more comfortable service to passengers. It will move people across town 60 per cent faster than the bus service on the corridor today. The Crosstown proposes to enhance the economic, social and environmental quality of life in Toronto. By replacing buses with rapid underground transit, gridlock and air pollution will be eased. Meanwhile the Premier notes right now Ontario is being held back by an uneven playing field created by the federal government's immigration policies that are tilted in favour of Manitoba, BC and Quebec. Each of those three provinces has more control over immigration than we do here in Ontario, he notes. Dealing with the federal government's refusal to give Ontario the same controls, McGuinty specifically wants the feds to devolve to Ontario authority to administer, plan and design its own integration and settlement programs for newcomers. "We also want more say in the selection of immigrants coming to Ontario, so we can make choices that support our economic growth," he emphasizes.
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