[spacer height="20px"]By Elliot Fung
The Ward 1 councillor candidates are promising a number of changes that aim to improve McMaster student life. While ideas such as support for landlord licensing and the light rail transit project can be found in multiple platforms, the candidates differ in their approach to some key areas.
With the constant rise of housing prices, affordable housing, which includes student housing, is considered a top priority for all candidates. However, there are many unique proposed methods to tackle this election issue.
Carol Lazich proposes cooperative student housing initiatives and the purchase of excess land for construction of student housing complexes. Sophie Geffros proposes that new developments be required to have 15 to 25 per cent affordable and geared-to-income units.
On the other hand, Both Ela Eroglu and Sharon Cole propose intensification and infill developments. Harrison White also supports cooperative student housing initiatives and proposes the re-introduction of rental-property based tax breaks.
Sharon Anderson proposes an increase in the number of medium density developments through zoning by-law adjustments. Linda Narducci proposes better negotiations between existing landlords, patrons and developers.
Another issue pertinent to McMaster students concerns the health and safety problems caused by absentee landlords of student rentals and education about tenant rights.
Candidates Maureen Wilson, Cole, White, Geffros and Lyla Miklos support a licensing system for rental properties that would help to ensure that tenants’ rights are sustained. They also promote educational programs for students to ensure that students understand tenant rights and what landlords are legally allowed to do.
Geffros’ plan includes a $10 to $50 fee for landlords to lease a home; in return, the city would inspect rental units to ensure they are up to health and safety standards. Eroglu proposes a different approach through a two-year pilot project in the Ainslie Wood area aimed at enforcing rental housing by-laws. Lazich proposes the implementation of stricter regulations and penalties for landlords if properties are not maintained.
Candidates Wilson, Narducci, Jason Allen, White and Anderson aim to address street and traffic safety, an issue particularly relevant to students coming to campus every day from surrounding residential areas. Some proposed plans include better enforcement of speed limits and working with the city of Hamilton to clear roads and sidewalks after snow falls during the winter.
Retention of McMaster graduates in Hamilton is another issue that Lazich and Eroglu aim to address. In particular, Eroglu proposes to attract new businesses to set up in Hamilton. Lazich proposes partnering with corporations and small businesses and providing grants to students for startups.
Moreover, some candidates are promising the launch of new services and initiatives unrelated to the most significant issues at play.
For instance, Lazich wants to introduce a number of new services concerning students including dog therapy, an Indigenous Enriched Support Program, male support groups for first years, promotion of student success programs and education programs for cannabis use.
Geffros aims to address safety, hate crimes and sexual violence in Ward 1 by creating well-lit pedestrian paths, implementing emergency poles and funding free bystander intervention training.
With this year’s large number of candidates, there is a great deal of consistency across platforms with respect to themes and topics being prioritized. But while candidates are focusing on the same issues, they diverge when it comes to how they intend to address them.
For more information on candidates' platforms:
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By Rob Hardy
The latest chapter in the decade long saga of Hamilton's road to building light rail transit has brought us to yet another mayoral election. Endless dawdling over trivial minutiae prevented council from finalizing construction plans, giving opportunistic politicians a chance to win election votes from wary residents unsure of the project.
First it was Doug Ford who campaigned provincially for city votes by promising to keep funding in Hamilton should council axe LRT, and now Victor Sgro is seeking municipal support to follow through on Ford's words. Our current mayor, Fred Eisenberger, is determined to ride out this latest threat to Hamilton's LRT dreams and hopefully, finally, complete the last phase of planning so that shovels will indeed soon be in the ground.
No one can blame you if over the course of years you have switched sides on this issue, perhaps more than once, given how long this tiring soap opera has dragged on. After all, when decisions which have been voted on multiple times somehow repeatedly get challenged and second-guessed, it's inevitable that our community will become as unsure as its councillors. Indeed, there are some who just want this issue settled once and for all, regardless.
But there are several things to consider as you weigh the pros and cons of who to vote for. First of all, as of now all systems are a go for building LRT in Hamilton, as slow as things are going. In the years since full funding was given to Hamilton, businesses have made contingency plans, residents have paid a premium to buy homes near a promised LRT line, while others have moved, and considerable investment has occurred because rapid transit was a factor. Backing out now would be bewildering to stakeholders.
With LRT possibly shelved, we have to consider what would replace it. Well, nothing. Sgro's plan, as per his campaign website, is to invest $300 million towards adding more buses, some of these being express routes to rural Hamilton locales where most residents have cars. I'll leave it up to voters to decide if transit usage on the HSR is going to increase or become profitable based on merely updating and reshuffling bus routes.
Moreover, a vote for Sgro is not necessarily a vote to kill the LRT project. The mayor can neither unilaterally save nor scrap the project. Council would still need to formally vote to back out, and given recent criticism against our provincial premier and his political conduct, it is plausible that city council might not find Ford's promise credible enough to depend on. In other words, even those against LRT might prefer to stay with the current plan rather than gambling on vague alternatives.
If LRT were to actually get nixed, plans for a future BRT at some point would still be years away, as even the best case scenario would involve some more lengthy planning, and further back and forth squabbling, given this is Hamilton we are talking about. This means that current HSR riders will remain trapped on the same and only transit system we have for the foreseeable future.
This also means that despite what Sgro's camp asserts, growth and investment in Hamilton would certainly be adversely affected. For instance, there is a reason why downtown Toronto attracts millions of tourists a year, and a reason why Niagara Falls does the same. It isn't a mystery why Hamilton, despite being an attractive, sizeable city halfway between the two, does not see the same brisk business.
One of the main debates regarding LRT cites the city's falling transit usage. With a considerable portion of residents falling within a very low income bracket, it is a very curious thing to wonder why so many people find ways to avoid using the HSR. A reasonable hypothesis is that what is being offered is so unappealing that massive upgrades are needed, and that buses alone aren't enough to attract a wider ridership.
Whether it is LRT or BRT, a subway or a sky train, Hamilton needs to revamp its image and infrastructure, and we can't afford to wait any longer. Given that LRT is the option we've chosen, and the only one possible to begin implementing within the year, this is the project that will finally see Hamilton soaring to new heights.
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On Sept. 4, the City of Hamilton Planning Committee approved a zoning amendment application for a new two-storey Columbia International College student residence. This is the latest development in a project that stretches back four years.
The residence will be built on the corner of Main Street West and Longwood Road and consists of an 18-storey tower and a 16-storey tower building connected by a four-story podium. It will mainly serve as a residence, though it will have other commercial and recreational uses as well.
The developer, John Lecluse, is optimistic about the project going forward.
“We’re hoping to have quite a bit of ground moved a year from now,” said Lecluse.
The primary barrier to the project was a possible erosion hazard that could affect the Chedoke Creek valley system. However, the Hamilton Conservation Authority board gave their approval on the grounds that certain conditions are met.
The project parallels McMaster’s plans for a new residence on Main Street West, which began last year and is still in the planning stages. That building is planned to stand between Dalewood Avenue and Forsyth Avenue.
Some community concerns with the CIC project, such as increased car and foot traffic, increased noise, and the shadowing effect of tall buildings, have also been raised in light of McMaster’s proposal.
However, according to Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association president Ira Rosen, one of the key differences between the projects is that, unlike the McMaster building, which will stand over houses on Traymore Avenue, the CIC building is not directly next to homes.
“There are no houses that are going to be affected by those [CIC] buildings because it’s right at the corner of [Main Street West] and [Longwood Road S],” said Rosen. “The closest permanents live just across the street. It’s not the same as the location the university is planning. The university location is literally on a side street where there are houses.”
Gord Arbeau, McMaster director of communications, said that McMaster has recently amended the building design to try and address some issues with the previous design, including parking, available amenities activities and the increased flow of pedestrians. It is worth noting that the current design has 90 percent of the building at ten stories, lower than the originally proposed thirteen stories.
“We’re seeking more feedback,” said Arbeau. “We’ll be presenting the plan to the city and the city planners and we look to finalize and fine-tune that design in the next month or so, and then we would envision submitting another application to the city sometime thereafter.”
The university is hoping to begin construction next year and have the building open for August 2021.
The AWWCA will meet to discuss the latest changes to the McMaster proposal at their annual general meeting on Sept. 17. Rosen said they are hoping to find a middle ground with the university and are open to development as long as both parties can work together.
Those involved with the McMaster project plan to continue their consultations with community groups such as the AWWCA and attend regular meetings help by the president’s advisory committee on community relations.
While McMaster has no affiliation with CIC, Arbeau noted that, in both cases, there is increased development along Main Street West.
“I think what we’re seeing in Hamilton, especially with the [light rail transit], is a desire for the city to intensify development along lanes especially on Main Street, which is where the LRT will run,” said Arbeau.
As explained by Arbeau, both housing projects are being planned for with the potential construction of LRT in mind. LRT not only impacts the construction of new buildings because of the potential widening of Main Street West, but also represents a potentially more convenient way to commute across the city, especially for those close to Main Street West.
Both McMaster and CIC are hoping to alleviate student housing shortages by constructing large buildings along Main Street West, a trend that will likely continue across the city. The challenge for these plans will be to develop in a sustainable, responsible way that considers the perspectives of neighbouring communities.
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Over the last few months, planning for the development of the Hamilton light rail transit has been underway, with construction expected to kick off next year and wrap up in 2024. However, Doug Ford’s promise to abandon his predecessor’s funding plan may put the project in jeopardy.
The 1.3 billion dollar LRT, which was introduced by former premier Kathleen Wynne in 2015, is expected to span 14 kilometers, running from McMaster University to Eastgate Square, through downtown Hamilton and making 17 stops along Main Street, King Street and Queenston Road Corridor.
The McMaster University stop will be located on the north side of Main Street West at the intersection of Cootes Drive.
According to Kris Jacobson, the director of the LRT project office for the City of Hamilton, the university’s stop will consist of two passenger platforms separated by LRT stops, one for each direction.
“Metrolinx and McMaster are also proposing to construct a joint transit terminal and parking garage on an existing surface parking lot adjacent to the LRT stop,” said Jacobson.
The proposed parking addition would likely require an agreement between Metrolinx and McMaster. Discussions for which are afoot.
It’s also worth noting that the Longwood Road Bridge, a sixty-two-year-old bridge atop Highway 403, will be reconstructed to support the LRT tracks to the storage facility, which will sit in the Longwood Road South, Frid Street and Chatham Street area.
“The new bridge will be widened to accommodate sidewalks on both sides and the addition of a bi-directional cycle-track on the east side of the road will connect and extend the existing cycle-track and multi-use past south of Frid Street,” said Jacobson.
#HamOnt is growing, with 780,000 expected in population by 2041. #DYK @HamiltonLRT is a key part of preparing for that growth, and will be one of many types of transit moving more people across the city pic.twitter.com/BMqd55Yce4
— Crosstown (@CrosstownTO) August 16, 2018
While LRT planning has continued apace, the project is being threatened by Ford’s April 2018 promise to quash Wynne’s LRT-only investment plan. Alternatively, Ford has proposed giving Hamilton City Council the ability to decide what the one billion gets used for.
In the wake of Ford’s decision and against the backdrop of a looming Hamilton municipal election, LRT debates have resurfaced.
According to Joey Coleman, a municipal affairs journalist in Hamilton, the LRT issue may define the mayoral race.
“Hamilton has a tradition of single-issue elections for the past three decades,” said Coleman. "Ultimately, Premier Doug Ford will decide. If he offers Council no-strings-attached funding in exchange for cancelling LRT, in many wards, all the candidates are saying they'd take that deal over building LRT.”
In these renewed discussions, the McMaster Students Union will take a pro-LRT stance.
“As the MSU is meeting with Ward One candidates, we are highlighting our pro-LRT stance and explaining the benefits of the project to students,” said Stephanie Bertolo, MSU vice president (Education). “After the new council is elected, if there is a vote that could potentially stop the LRT project from progressing, we will run another #YesLRT campaign where we will have students voice to Council the importance of the project.”
Doug Ford’s recently implemented hiring and discretionary spending freeze has put a pause on Metrolinx’s land purchases for LRT in Hamilton. Nevertheless, Jacobson says LRT planning will continue amid the freeze and the growing concerns that the new Council will scrap the transit project.
“The Hamilton LRT project continues to move forward per our Council’s direction,” said Jacobson.
Submissions for proposals to design, build and finance the LRT will be evaluated in the summer of 2019 and construction will commence quickly thereafter.
There is an emerging concern that delays to the Hamilton Light Rail Transit approval may result in cancellation of the entire project.
Last week, Hamilton city councillors met for 13 hours to discuss issues related to the LRT, with the hopes of garnering provincial approval for an environmental assessment. This approval serves as a prerequisite to signing a master agreement with Metrolinx to improve the coordination and integration of public transportation in the Hamilton and Toronto areas.
One outcome of the meeting was that the Bay Street stop was rejected from the LRT route. Overall, however, the council discussions will only lead to more delays in the LRT process.
The ultimate decision that came from the meeting was to table the updated environmental assessment for the next meeting, which will be held on April 19.
“The councillors want more information, and more opportunity to discuss. The truth is, after eight hours of meeting continuously, it starts to lag in productivity and focus,” said Aidan Johnson, councillor for Ward 1. Johnson is the chair of the LRT implementation committee and he is in favour of the project.
“It became clear to many of the counselors that the extra information and discussion they needed in order to clarify their own ideas about LRT would best happen in a fresh meeting on another day.”
The duration and scope of the LRT project demands the review of a report that is lengthy in nature.
The 1,400 page report details precisely how LRT will be laid out, and all the details about where the tracks will lie and the impact on Wards 1-4 both during the building phase and after it has been running. This is so city councillors may evaluate if there are substantial consequences to the local Hamilton environment.
"The councillors want more information, and more opportunity to discuss. The truth is, after eight hours of meeting continuously, it starts to lag in productivity"
Aidan Johnson,
Ward 1 Councillor
While ecology is definitely an aspect that is considered, the environmental assessment entails for much more, such as the bearing of LRT on the city environment, the build form of the city, and livability of the city.
Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla recently made waves with his claims that the project may be in jeopardy. He is concerned that delays with the LRT proposal will eventually lead to a withdrawal of funding for the project.
He has coined several of his colleagues as a “gang of 10”, who are using the pro-LRT argument simply as a means of gaining political attention, without a genuine regard for following through with LRT. He warns that this may lead to the loss of the $1 billion provincial investment in infrastructure across the lower city.
“If their intent was to defer and delay for the sole purpose of making the project better, I would have no issue. But I realize that their strategy has more to do with a politics with no intent of ever supporting [LRT] and for that I say shame on them,” Merulla said.
The reality is that the $1 billion provincial investment enriches Hamilton infrastructure in ways beyond the LRT. The withdrawal of this funding due to these delays may have greater consequences.
“To gain attention for a project [such as LRT] that they believe is not popular and then waste the money because it is a train to nowhere that does not improve their constituents’ lives,” noted Merulla when asked to describe what he believed was going on.
With another council meeting set in place for April 19, it will take at least a few more weeks for the environmental assessment to be finalized. We have yet to see whether these delays will prove hazardous to the overall LRT transport system projected to be complete by 2024.
As the school year winds down, so does this volume of the Silhouette. The end of something usually begs for some kind of retrospect to think about what we did, how it could have been done better, or what we need to continue to do.
When I flip through the editorials and the news pages, I see a noticeable difference in our news and opinion coverage. There were more stories this year about the greater Hamilton community instead of simply focusing on McMaster and McMaster Students Union issues. Hamilton city politics has been equally entertaining and frustrating to follow, as I’ve written for reasons before.
If there’s one takeaway I hope our readers have from this year, it’s that students need to make their voices heard in the Hamilton community. In 2018, we have to go out and vote for the councillor we want to represent us, because we haven’t done that in the past and that’s why students are consistently forgotten by Hamilton city council as a whole.
Last week provided a great example. Hamilton Street Railway proposed two cuts to bussing routes that directly serve the McMaster campus. The proposal, which council voted against, was to eliminate the extra busses provided at peak times.
The MSU was never consulted on this, and if it wasn’t for the reporting of Joey Coleman of the Public Record, it never would have been on the Sil’s radar. The HSR was proposing to cut service less than two months after McMaster students agreed via referendum to keep the same service levels at a higher cost. We would have been paying more to get less.
Instead, students spoke up. They tweeted about it, maybe some emailed the Ward 1 councillor Aidan Johnson. Within the day, the proposal was dead. Students won, right?
No. The cuts really never should have been on the table. But its par for the course, and McMaster students have done it to themselves. Our voices can be ignored because we don’t vote in municipal elections. I’ve written about this before, but I’m writing about it in the final days of this volume because I think it’s that important that students actually go vote in 2018.
City council will not ignore us if we vote and show up to the meetings. The trans rights protocol passed earlier this month featured a number of speakers from McMaster and I believe they made some of the best arguments for why Hamilton needed to support this.
And I understand that voting in municipal politics isn’t that exciting. The stakes don’t seem as high as provincial or federal politics, and making a decision is difficult as the coverage is much lighter. Local politics gives you the opportunity to see change in action that you can’t get at the other levels. Some seem insignificant, like decisions on when to open splash pads, but the trans rights protocol mentioned above is a tangible and meaningful impact. Hamilton city council is currently working on a landlord registry too. City hall talks about much more than zoning changes and parking rates.
We need to be proactive rather than just reactive. As the media landscape continues to change in Hamilton, it is less likely that we will be able to rely on journalists to shine a spotlight on changes that will impact student life. McMaster students can and should make themselves a political player in 2018. We are not an afterthought.
After 12 hours of deliberation, the future of Light Rail Transit in Hamilton is still in question.
Council chambers were packed at the start of the meeting, with representatives from a variety of community groups. The McMaster Students Union was represented, with Blake Oliver, vice-president (Education) in attendance for part of the meeting.
The LRT debate has been raging for years and city council has voted numerous times to approve the project. The provincial government has committed $1 billion in capital funding to build LRT that would include a main route from McMaster University to the Queenston traffic circle.
This lengthy meeting stems from a motion that was brought forth in April to “reaffirm” city council’s interest in LRT. That motion was withdrawn at the Oct. 25 meeting after a legal opinion highlighted that they would need a two-thirds majority to change the LRT stance of city council. The lawyer, George Rust D-Eye, also pointed out the potential liabilities of the city if they were to oppose LRT after years of support.
City council will also ask the provincial government to look at expanding the A-Line of the proposed LRT system, which runs up to the Mountain. An official from Metrolinx, the government agency responsible for expanding public transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, said it is too early for the organization to make a statement on that request.
There are more obstacles to come for LRT, though this meeting could be interpreted as a win for the pro-LRT crowd. It is unlikely that city council could achieve a two-thirds majority to change course on LRT and there are significant legal questions to answer if they actually did decide to abandon the public transit project.
LRT will continue to be a point of contention for the Hamilton community and the issue will come back to city council when the environmental assessment is completed in early spring 2017.
If you have been following Hamilton city politics for the past couple weeks, you probably wish you had not been.
City council has been locked in an exhausting debate to reaffirm their interest in receiving $1-billion from the provincial government to fund a Light Rail Transit system in Hamilton. Council has recorded votes on the issue five times since 2009 and approved a plan that recommended LRT for the future of Hamilton public transit in 2013.
The vote to reaffirm has been delayed twice and is tentatively set for June 15. Dissent for LRT is mostly coming from councilors who are not in wards that would directly benefit from the project, a backwards form of “not-in-my-backyard” politics.
If city council does not support the funding of the LRT, it sends a strong message to McMaster students: you are not a priority and we do not care about keeping you around the Hammer after graduation.
LRT would benefit students almost as much as any other demographic in Hamilton. It would make access to downtown easier and encourage students to go there. It is not difficult to get downtown now; on weekdays, busses are frequent enough.
But LRT would simplify the process and could result in students feeling more comfortable hopping on the LRT to grab dinners or go for drinks downtown instead of confining themselves to the Westdale area. A McMaster study concluded the LRT would “activate” the downtown.
Council has complained about the impact on businesses along King St. during construction. If business is booming, I have missed the memo.
Hess Village is one of the areas along the proposed route, and the entertainment district has been suffering for years. According to CBC Hamilton, the number of patrons has shrunk every year since 2012. LRT would make these places more accessible for students. Short-term pain for long-term gain should not be a novel concept to council.
And speaking of the long-term, turning down LRT would show that city council is not truly concerned with the retention of McMaster graduates.
If you give a graduate the option of working in a city with a strong LRT system that makes it easy to get to work and removes the financial burden of a car, why would they leave?
Right now, students are eager to leave a city they have no affinity to because they have never felt like leaving the McMaster bubble, and they will have to buy a car anyways.
The grass is not always greener, and I think Hamilton is a city that has a lot to offer for young professionals. But this generation is always willing to find out for themselves. The creation of LRT could also create jobs for McMaster graduates, keeping more people in the city.
Students tire of Hamilton because it sells itself as an ambitious city without providing much proof. We stick around here for four or five years, see the “You Can Do Anything In Hamilton” merchandise but leave because we do not really have that opportunity or even much acknowledgement. The city has been handed a real shot at becoming a modern city, but we are pissing it away because the people in areas that are relatively wealthy do not want it.
Councilors are arguing for alternative approaches to using the provincial money, like bus rapid transit, but that form of public transport has failed in Ottawa and costs more on a per-passenger basis.
If Hamilton is serious about growing as a city, they can take the first step by reaffirming the acceptance of $1-billion from the provincial government to show interest in students, create jobs, and push the city into the future.
Minister Glen Murray addresses the need for increased transportation infrastructure in downtown Hamilton.
In a press conference on Friday May 31 at the downtown Hamilton GO station, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Glen Murray announced plans for a new GO station to be built on James Street North.
Under the boiling afternoon sun, Murray, joined by local MPP Ted McMeekin, Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina and other government officials, outlined the need surrounding transportation infrastructure investment and development, and the importance of the project for Hamilton.
The station will be constructed nearby the historic Liuna Station and include multi-level parking with 300 spaces, new bus bays, a pick-up and drop-off zone and pedestrian walkways. The station’s main point of service will be to add two more train trips in the morning and afternoon to Toronto on the Lakeshore line, every day of the week. The current GO station on Hunter Street near St. Joseph's Hospital will continue to operate and will not be affected by the addition of the James North station.
The announcement follows recent buzz about continuing LRT (Light Rapid Transit) talks and what Metrolinx and the Ontario Government’s “Big Move” strategy means for Hamilton. While evading direct discussion of LRT in Hamilton, Murray did stress the need to catch Hamilton up with other cities in terms of transportation. Specifically, Murray outlined the need to do so in order to retain McMaster graduates.
“Young people who graduate from McMaster look around and see no LRT, they see limited GO service, they don’t see subways in this region, and they look to Chicago and they look to New York… [where] they see good governance [with transportation],” Murray said.
While a final budget and an exact time frame are still in the works, the station is set to begin construction in early 2014 and be completed by 2015. This schedule is coordinated to align with the Pan/Parapan Am Games’ arrival in Hamilton during the summer of 2015, although the station will continue operations after the Games are done.
A preliminary rendering reveals the plan for the new GO station, to be built on James Street North in 2014.
With millions invested in preliminary research on a light-rail transit system in Hamilton, the City is under pressure to move the project forward.
Over the past five years, Hamiltonians, councillors and McMaster representatives have been making the case to the province for LRT in Hamilton.
LRT would provide train access every two or three minutes to downtown Hamilton. The system is expected to benefit local commuters and frequent users of the B-line bus route. As part of a downtown renewal plan, LRT also has the potential to draw more students to the core of the city.
Recently, Mayor Bob Bratina has come under heavy scrutiny by community members for not pursuing the initiative more aggressively.
Complicating matters further, Dalton McGuinty’s resignation last week as leader of Ontario’s Liberal Party means LRT supporters likely have to wait even longer for action.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty right now. I wish I could say this could happen very soon, but with the economy and Ontario’s political situation, I don’t think we’re going to hear back definitively from the province until 2014,” said Brian McHattie, Hamilton city councillor for McMaster’s ward.
Given the amount of time and money already spent on the initiative, many are seeking clarity on whether LRT is on track to happen.
So far, evidence suggests there are significant social and economic benefits to justify having light-rail transit in Hamilton.
According to a 2010 operational review by the HSR, bus ridership in the east-west direction that LRT would encompass was roughly 13,000 per day.
“The B-line is by far the busiest line we have in the city,” said McHattie. “Sometimes you’ll see buses pass by their stops because they’re too full. LRT would be able to carry many more passengers, and it would be faster.”
To date, $9 million has been invested in preliminary research to make the case for LRT. The province has designated $3 million for a required Environmental Assessment.
Estimates for the cost to build the LRT B-line are much higher, ranging from $900 million to $1 billion.
“Initially, and until they say otherwise, the province has earmarked $2 billion a year for 25 years for the MoveOntario plan,” said councillor Jason Farr. “That’s all we know at this point.”
In September 2011, City Council requested full provincial funding on two LRT lines in Hamilton.
Other cities in the GTA are also pursuing provincial funding on LRT systems. Toronto recently secured full capital funding from Metrolinx for its $6 billion Eglinton-Scarborough cross-town LRT, prompting many to insist Hamilton deserves the same treatment.
“In October 2011, Metrolinx said we were ahead of the pack,” said Farr. “Since then, we have heard they may be looking at alternative funding sources, and that could be anything – it could mean creating a new tax specific to the MoveOntario initiative or to Hamilton’s LRT plan.”
“It doesn’t mean LRT is dead, though – it does not mean that,” he said.
In August of this year, Ontario’s minister of infrastructure and transportation Bob Chiarelli finally confirmed that the City would have to raise a portion of the funds on its own.
It is uncertain how much Hamiltonian taxpayers will have to pitch in.
This uncertainty prompted Mayor Bob Bratina to express hesitation in a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Stoney Creek earlier this month.
Bratina said he was reluctant to move ahead with LRT plans before funding details are released.
Councillor McHattie said the City intends to join the Chamber of Commerce’s LRT taskforce committee, on which McMaster University has representation. He added that the Council would also be interested in working with the McMaster Students Union.
Last year, the MSU launched a “We need LRT” campaign. Former VP (Education) Alicia Ali and SRA representative Chris Erl brought forth a motion to amend one of the MSU’s transit policies. A two-line edit to the policy reads that the MSU supports the LRT initiative in Hamilton.
Students were asked to give feedback by tweeting with the hashtag #WeNeedLRT whenever they missed a bus or were unsatisfied with HSR service, and about 100 tweets were tracked up until September.
Since then, several additions have been made to HSR bus service to McMaster.
“We haven’t heard as many complaints on social media about missed buses in the morning,” said Huzaifa Saeed, current VP (Education) of the MSU, who worked with the City’s transit department in the summer to increase HSR service to the Ancaster Meadowlands.
Saeed says he hasn’t abandoned the LRT initiative, but needs student backing from the SRA and interest from the student body before he could push for LRT on behalf of McMaster students.
“I think the momentum [in the LRT campaign] has died down at the city level, and the province isn’t saying anything yet.”
If LRT were to be implemented down the road, Don Hull, director of transit at the City, said the system “would likely replace some of the bus network we have near McMaster, most notably the B-line. It would call for the restructuring of [HSR] service.”
But that is a long way off – ten to fifteen years ahead, said Hull.
“We’re currently working on a fall report for Council that would provide details of how LRT could be implemented,” said Hull.
Over the past few months, work has also been done to determine a preferred site for a transit terminal on campus, and a recommendation has been made to locate it near the parking lot at Cootes Drive and Main Street.
“That work is continuing,” said Gord Arbeau, director of public and community relations at McMaster. “McMaster is a supporter of the LRT initiative and will continue to work with the City to make a case for this investment.”
Aside from the MSU’s endorsement of LRT and a short-lived student campaign last year, there has been little student feedback on a major transit initiative that would connect McMaster to the rest of Hamilton.
