Statement by Nicholas Kevlahan

Dear Mayor and Councillors,

This is an exciting time for Hamilton. A year ago the Premier announced the biggest ever investment in our city: $1 billion for our LRT project.

We are now a year into the serious business of final planning for the project, and the preliminary design has been released for public consultation.

It is important to remember that this is the result we have been working for since Council first voted unanimously in 2008 to direct staff to pursue LRT with 100% provincial funding. That initial vote was the first of many supporting LRT with provincial funding. Council has been absolutely steadfast in this goal for the past eight years.

Many thought full provincial funding was asking a lot, but that is exactly what the Province has agreed to!

The City of Hamilton has got what it asked for and nothing fundamental about the huge benefits of LRT (as analyzed in City, Metrolinx and McMaster reports) or the challenges and difficulties of the construction phased has changed.

This $1 billion of Provincial money is from a Metrolinx fund specifically designated for large public transit projects. Make no mistake: if we refuse this investment (one year after it was announced!) Hamilton taxpayers will end up funding projects elsewhere.

Don't forget that much of the $1 billion will go into high-paying construction and design jobs for Hamiltonians that will last for years. Hamilton could definitely use this economic boost and Hamiltonians need those jobs.

Hamilton would look foolish and indecisive for not taking yes for an answer.

Next week, help make Hamilton the ambitious city again and say yes (again) to a $1 billion investment in a better future.

Yours sincerely,

Nicholas Kevlahan

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