All Statements of Support
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Tracy McGregor says,
As this city grows, we will need this more than ever.
I am in full support of LRT! -
Sara Radcliffe says,
I am a thesis student at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, and currently doing a great deal of research and design work regarding the planned LRT route in Waterloo Region. I think this is an amazing endeavour, and one that midsize cities need to embrace in order for economic growth to occur. This will also increase livability for locals and encourage more tourism throughout the Great Lakes Megaregion. Another great step would be to add GO connections between more of these communities, making Hamilton and the surrounding areas, like Guelph and Waterloo Region more connected. Someday soon, I will be a licensed architect, and hope to take on issues similar to this in the Great Lakes area.
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Lee Edward McIlmoyle says,
This initiative is so necessary for the continued life of our city. Please support it.
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Mary Bowness says,
We need this. We need a fast, convenient, efficient alternative to single vehicle transportation... LRT is the solution.
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Candy Venning says,
Having lived in a city that has LRT running right alongside buildings that were built in the 1600's (Nice) I can vouch for what a pleasure it was to ride (imagine tourist and residents alike actually wanting to use it!) I think we should jump into the future of public transit and embrace this chance wholeheartedly!
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Christina Karney says,
We really need to get more progressive with transit in the City. The momentum that has begun to build in the city is part of what makes it crucial and more viable to the city. Let's not miss this opportunity!
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Howard Lee says,
This is single most important factor for Hamilton to rise to fame again.
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Shawn Groen says,
Admittedly, I own a car. But I also regularly use the public transit to get to work. I happen to have the luxury of choosing which mode of transit to use.
Thousands of people in Hamilton don't have the luxury of choosing their mode of transit and depend on slow and inefficient busses. It is crucial for everyone to provide equal access and opportunity for those who rely on public transportation. We need to support LRT for those whose voices are already marginalized by their socio-economic status. They deserve dependable and speedy transit as much as the motorists screaming through our urban core.
Here's to believing in Hamilton! Here's to equity for all!
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Diego Benavides says,
As a former resident and frequent visitor of the Hamilton region, and being well aware of how important fast, efficient, reliable and economical public transit options are, I am strongly urging the province to do their part in facilitating this development.
Please do not take this matter lightly.
Regards,
Diego Benavides -
Meagan Tutti says,
this would be one of the major steps to becoming a city that is accessible for everyone to everyone. Downtown needs some relief from traffic
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Deb Hazlewood says,
Dear Councillors and representatives,
I am a born and raised Hamilton, and would like to express my strong opinion that light rail transit has a place in our city.
I do believe that it will serve to create economic development and revitalization in the downtown core, and beyond throughout the entire city. High quality, safe and reliable public transportation is one of the established keys to a developed and progressive community, and Hamilton has been waiting for this for far too long.
Having read the Metrolinx case study, as well as other reports confirming that uplifting and improving the B-Line corridor would be beneficial to the city, I would like to press our city council, and other regional representatives, to move forward with planning and on to actual 'shovels in the ground' to get this light rail initiative truly going.
Regards,
Deb Hazlewood -
Joanne Hudspith says,
I believe we need to plan for the future with environmental and economic realities in mind. The reality is that driving is becoming more and more expensive, and is bad for the environment. Let's follow the lead of other great cities who have made transit the more convenient and less expensive way of getting around.
Fewer people sitting in cars also means more people walking to and from transit stops, and a healthier population that will draw less on publicly funded health care.
This is not just a transit issue, but a quality of life issue. -
heather miller says,
As someone who now lives half of the time in Europe (Stockholm Sweden) I can see just how much good public transport can change a city for the better. Hamilton deserves to move forward and get modernized.
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Andrew Hibma says,
Efficient, affordable and accessible transportation is my business. As the manager of a charitable cycling initiative called new hope community bikes, I promote these goals through cycling, but recognize that a coordinated multi faceted transit strategy is needed. LRT will meet the needs of our city now and fuel future growth, opening up new areas of the city to urban renewal.
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Jordan Burgsma says,
LRT is a huge opportunity for our city to be part of something new and progressive, that contributes to growth, and(most importantly) will show that the status quo is no longer good enough for Hamilton. We need to move forward in the best interest of our city's core.
ALSO the province is getting most of the bill. What's the downside?
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Dave Hamilton says,
I know, in politics, the decision that makes sense is rarely the decision that's made, but.......we need it.....and it's paid for.
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Greg Sinclair says,
LRT will only improve Hamilton as the best city in the GTHA! Go for it!
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Agata Mancini says,
We absolutely cannot miss the opportunity for a fully funded LRT! There really shouldn't even be a question. In fact, I'm finding it hard to find something to say because it's just so obviously the next step for Hamilton.
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Malcolm Forbes says,
The CIty of Hamilton like much of urban Ontario is a generation behind public transportation infrastructure. An LRT line will be a start to bringing us into the 21st century. We can not do this without help from other levels of government.
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Kevin Makins says,
Hamilton is on the rise, and SO MANY of the people who are moving here, investing their lives in and shaping our city desire an option for non-car transit. We don't need to get rid of cars, but we need to bring a balance to our streets, and one that will allow us to move into the future as a progressive, healthy, diverse city!
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Martin Zarate says,
I've lived in Hamilton my whole life and I haven't been excited about its future until today. LRT can let Hamilton live up to the potential we've seen unrealized, waiting for decades. I want my kids and grandkids to grow up here, but without real investment and intensification, Hamilton will just be another decaying suburb they'll move away from like so many of my classmates did.
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Justine Ritchie says,
I take the number one king bus every morning to work and it is PACKED every morning, which on one hand is a good thing because lots of people are taking transit but on the other hand is a bit annoying first thing in the morning. the need for something like this is definitely there.
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Rafael Ferreira says,
Only way to make the transit system in this city attractive to:
- Citizens
- Newcomers
- Business
- TourismMore incentives in the city, would provide in the long term, more infrastructure and grow in all sectors.
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Sean Gadoury says,
I am a huge supporter of increasing transit infrastructure in Hamilton. Future citizens will only be able to use effective transit if it is built now!
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Amber Edgar says,
Please accept the provincial funding to bring an LRT to Hamilton.
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Richard Kranstz says,
I've lived in Hamilton for 8 years and have never taken public transit here. I support this initiative not because I will personally benefit directly, but because I want to live in a city that makes this type of investment a priority.
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Blake Leaist says,
With inadequate parking for the GO Train, Hamiltonians must go to
Burlington to part and travel to Toronto. The LRT is the answer for commuters to be able to use the LRT and continue on to Toronto via GO.The GO Train must be a viable option for Hamiltonians given the congestion of the QEW / Gardiner Expressway highways. Without the LRT this situation will only worsen.
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Gavin Paniccia says,
I would like to see reliable, modern public transit infrastructure that can handle Hamilton's population growth. I would like to live in the Hamilton core and not require a personal vehicle. I cannot rely entirely upon the current transit system for my daily needs. I think that Hamilton's roads serve a smaller population than they could with a more modern transit system.
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Mark Rejhon says,
I pay property tax in Hamilton. I moved to Hamilton and bought a home. I'd like to see the LRT arrive.
An European-style LRT would be a great fit for Hamilton, with traffic lights synchronized to LRT, would be far more appealing. The easily traffic-light-synchronizable design of Main-King will make the Hamilton LRT very fast (much faster than Toronto streetcar). Also, the mix of express and non-express buses can get a bit confusing sometimes, and during offpeak, sometimes don't run frequently at all -- once I waited 20 minutes with zero buses on King St (offpeak) and gave up, catching a taxi. The LRT will bring much-needed dollars that produce a better quality all-day-all-week service than that, as there is no plan to run LRT that infrequently offpeak. A properly designed LRT (European style, speedier than Toronto streetcars) is also more pleasant and enjoyable, and I can stand on an European LRT train without holding a pole! Much easier and more comfortable to stand during peak. The buses can change lanes unpredictably and accelerate/decelerate differently, so not as comfortable a standee ride during peak. Ridership often goes up when LRT lines replace bus lines in European and other cities (with traffic-light prioritization given to LRT). It makes neighborhoods attractive, increases neighbourhood values, and will help reduce the number of boarded businesses in the more-depressed spots of the city. I've moved to Hamilton thanks to Metrolinx (GOtrains), who would be behind this LRT. We also have tons of non-homeowner non-carowner friends visit and they take so long to visit. The LRT will speed up them, too.
- Offpeak/weekends: More comfortable frequency, especially in the cold
- Onpeak/University/surge from one of the stadiums: More comfortable standingMore people would prefer riding the LRT than the bus, and it could revitalzie businesses along Main/King, enhance James street (and eventually improve depressed East Barton Street) with new businesses filling in the shuttered businesses.
Gradually, it would raise Hamilton's taxpayers base, improve economy over the long term, and attract new businesses and development.
It will slow down cars, but if done properly, that improves business along Main-King and compensates greatly. I am a carowner and it will slow me down too when the traffic lights get synchronized to approaching LRT trains instead of cars. With the LRT improvements, it should also be an opportunity to help revitalize the city's economy in part.
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John Gilchriwt says,
In order to compete with economic juggernauts in the southern Ontario such as Toronto, Ontario and now Mississauga; a LRT is imperative to Hamilton's prosperity. Vancouver is akin to the same population as Hamilton and they have an extremely effective transit system (the Skytrain). With the loss of steel production jobs it's imperative to invest in the city and create sustaining jobs and create a modern economy in the city.
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