Council divided on $3.4-billion offer for Hamilton LRT
It's shaping up to be a squeaker council vote on a federal-provincial capital plan to invest $3.4 billion into an LRT line for Hamilton.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger and five councillors - Maureen Wilson, Jason Farr, Nrinder Nann, Esther Pauls and John-Paul Danko - support the resurrected plan for a line from McMaster University to Eastgate Square formally announced Thursday.
But four - Sam Merulla, Brenda Johnson, Arlene VanderBeek and Lloyd Ferguson - said they hadn't made up their minds and wanted more details from Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency, in coming days.
Four others - Chad Collins, Tom Jackson, Judi Partridge and Maria Pearson - reiterated their continued support for bus rapid transit (BRT) over LRT and suggested the question be put to a referendum in 2022.
Two - Brad Clark, who recently restated his preference for BRT, and Terry Whitehead, a stalwart LRT critic on a leave of absence - couldn't be reached for comment.
Pauls, who had opposed Hamilton's light-rail project, emerged as a convert after hearing federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna and provincial Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney promise thousands of jobs and economic uplift.
There's no way I could be against it," Pauls said. If $3.4 billion is coming to Hamilton, how could I say no now?"
Council will have to sign off on a memorandum of understanding, which will include covering the 14-kilometre line's operating and maintenance costs.
In an email Thursday, Metrolinx said its staffers and colleagues from the Ministry of Transportation would address council as soon as possible" about the LRT plan. There are details that will be worked out in the coming weeks," a spokesperson said.
But steady LRT fans on council echoed Paul's enthusiasm after the $3.4-billion announcement. Funding for a 17-stop line is a very big bird in hand," Farr said. It's like an emu."
It's a no-brainer that we would come to the table with the operational dollars that are required to make sure that this is serving our residents," Nann said.
Who in their right mind would turn from that?" Wilson asked about the $3.4 billion. This is generational in magnitude."
Danko suggested scuttling the deal would be devastating" for Hamilton.
I think there would be very severe long-term ramifications for a city if we were to turn down this offer."
Eisenberger, who has sought to champion the project for years and ran on its merits in the last municipal election, said the city would be doing cartwheels" if a company offered to create 7,000 jobs.
The mayor said millions in economic spinoff LRT creates will more than offset any operating costs. So it is a net gain at the end of the day for the city, not a net expense."
But other city politicians were less than certain after the announcement.
Merulla, a steadfast LRT supporter, said his stance on the original plan hadn't changed but he wanted to learn more about the latest proposal. If it changes drastically to the point that there's an impact financially on the capital end, and/or operational from the original deal, then I need to evaluate it as well."
Johnson, who noted most of her Glanbrook residents were against LRT, said she wouldn't decide until Metrolinx presents cost details. I will say yes or no when I have all the facts."
Similarly, VanderBeek said she needed to understand the implications" of the offer for local taxpayers, including the operating costs.
The $3.4 billion is extremely hard to turn down," the Dundas councillor said. On the other hand, before you can accept something like that, we need to know what the city's obligations are going to be."
Others remained unwavering in their opposition.
My preference is still building a BRT," Jackson said, noting his desire for a long-planned coast-to-coast-to-coast" network.
That was Pearson's take, too. Bus rapid transit seems like a much more logical step in improving transit in the whole city of Hamilton, not just through the downtown core."
Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com