Statement by Steve Dykstra

Dear Premier Ford and Ms. Mulroney,

I am deeply concerned about the recent cancellation of Light Rail Transit Project, for the following reasons:

1) Our city has been working (albeit haltingly) on this project for 12 years. It's the clearly stated will of council and major stakeholders in the city, and the vast majority of those who will be personally impacted by it.

2) Over $200 million has already been spent on the project.

3) Cancellation of the project only 3 months before the RFP's are due doesn't make any sense. Why would you cancel the project based on your own projects when 3 independant companies are only months away from giving detailed estimates?

4) It is striking that, of the Metrolinx project expansions, the overwhelming number of them which are NOT cancelled, (Eglinton crosstown, Finch West, northern subway extension, hurontario LRT, are either in Conservative ridings or areas that could potentially be Conservative ridings. Each one has the potential to go over budget, yet only the project in a non-Conservative riding is receiving this cancellation. This reads as horrifying partisan politics at its worst.

5) The promise of LRT has been a catalyst for a number of projects along the King St. line. This sudden change puts these investments at risk.

I truly hope that this decision is reconsidered.

Sincerely,

Steve Dykstra.

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