All Statements of Support
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Nancy McPhee says,
Bad math and extreme prejudice are behind the cancellation of the LRT. Since moving to Ontario 6 years ago, this is one of the worst misuses of time and energy. Ford and Mulroney should be ashamed
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Justin Isenegger says,
The provincial government's complete lack of transparency and forward thinking borders on negligence in this case. Bogus numbers and including operations costs (when clearly there will be revenue generated while operating) is an accounting trick used to justify the cancellation of much needed improvements in our city. This isn't only about transportation but the upgrade of other municipal infrastructure that desperately needs it. I fully understand that the Ford government cares only about the GTA (as evidenced by ongoing interference in municipal politics) but it is time to step up to the plate and show that there is a vision for the entire province.
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Pam Mulholland says,
Build LRT in Hamilton now. LRT for Hamilton is superior to HSR buses; both for commuters, businesses and for govt budgets. LRT is cheaper to operate than the Hamilton Street Railway (buses). The most expensive thing about running a bus is the driver. Since an LRV can carry 5 times more passengers than a bus, the number of operators required to carry the same number of passengers is significantly lower. The average life span of a bus is about 15 years, while LRVs run for over 30 years. LRT is more reliable and faster - while the average speed for buses in mixed traffic is 17 km/hr, LRVs travel on dedicated lanes at an average speed of 27 km/hr – saving people’s time improves productivity and the bottom line of businesses. Win, win.
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Kathryn Newell says,
Hamilton has a history of being proactive, a bustling city. However the fight that we have had to participate in to justify moving forward has been ludicrous. Metrolinx supported us from the beginning. It seems that the government has pushed its weight to make it obvious it doesn't want to have Hamilton included in any of the plans to make commuting easier for the GTA. Shame on you.
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Patrick Wingert says,
Fix the bad Mulroney Math and get the Hamilton LRT back on track
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Matt Dugdale says,
Don’t screw over hamilton again! This city has suffered so much and has finally started turning around!!
We need the LRT to help grow the city
Keep your promise Doug Ford !!!
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Brendan Bbalch says,
The needs of the future of Hamilton are at stake. Would you really forsake the people and its economy over what seems to be nothing at this point? The numbers make sense over a 30 year period and fall in line with the proposed costs that other projects of similar size had. There is no reason to withhold this money other than for some worthless petty squabble. You've damaged the reputation of the Conservative party and not only that, but politics as a whole. I cannot overstate my disappointment and the disappointment my peers that would never speak out feel. Hamilton NEEDS the LRT project. It's a matter of providing the correct infrastructure for the future. If that cannot be done, then the future of this city is doomed. Please do the right thing
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Paul Mitro says,
Premier Ford, in my opinion, the residents of Hamilton spoke clearly when they re-elected Mayor Eisenberger last year. The municipal election was clearly a referendum on the LRT. Just because we have some loud, out-of-touch, career councillors along with an MPP in Donna Skelly who are afraid of change it does not make sense and is not fair to the Hamilton electorate that the LTR be cancelled. Add to this the incorrect financials that were used by your Mulroney to somehow justify the decision. Please add my objection to this poor political decision that flies in the face of the wants of the Hamilton electorate.
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Nate Van Kampen says,
I strongly support the LRT project. I was dismayed, not only by the fact the project was cancelled but also by the last minute and callous way it was done. It feels like a political move, not one that was done with care for the people you are responsible to govern. This project was already creating investment and growth in the city of Hamilton. Developers were creating plans along the proposed line. Moreover, even if one has a more conservative view of the role of government, shouldn't build infrastructure that stimulates growth to be a basic function of a government, even a conservative government that believes in the increasing the private sector and decreasing the public sector? This whole situation is confounding. Please view development with a broader lense than the next election cycle. We need leaders with wisdom for the future, not just ambition for their own careers.
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Joanna Lee says,
Killing the LRT is a huge step backwards for Hamilton especially since a lot of the work has already been completed. People have lost their properties over the LRT and they're not getting them back even without the LRT. That's not right. You can't take away people's homes AND cancel the LRT. It's not right.
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Klaas Walma says,
LRT means investment by attracting business. It also reduce CO2 emissions.
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Jackie Corcoran says,
The cancellation of the LRT at the 11th hour sends a message to those considering investing in Hamilton,and Ontario as a whole,that we can not be trusted to follow through with our promises.
How much is it going to cost us, the taxpayers, to cancel all the outstanding agreements and ensuing lawsuits? -
Simon Edwards says,
The complete lack of contextual analysis here is embarrassing. Beyond the innumerable mere oversights with regards to cost calculations, absolutely no consideration was afforded to the tangential economical impacts to the downtown core of a starved city, desperate for upgrades to infrastructure and residential access. The residual opportunity cost of this provincial government’s inability to follow through on the city’s (democratically-voiced) issues will be felt for decades to come.
Regards,
Simon Edwards -
Nanwa Noweia says,
This really should have been completed! It will help the development of Hamilton move forward and we are a city that is growing and these changes need to be made to match the cities current state.
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Dan Gismondi says,
This speaks for itself! Let keep Hamilton rolling! Build the much needed LRT!!!!!
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Blair Anderson says,
Notwithstanding Hamilton's own bureaucratic inertia, the Conservatives' about-face is yet another example of the ongoing hypocrisy in government. I hope the opposition parties are equally demanding for all of the paperwork behind the gas plant closures in Oakville/Mississauga. Is anyone listening to the people?
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Kris Gadjanski says,
All facts and evidence support the building of an LRT in Hamilton.
We know that Hamilton has the highest GHG emissions in the GTHA. We know that the city is growing. And we know that expanding highways does not help alleviate congestion, it leads to induced demand, increased pollution and poorer health outcomes.
Given these facts, and in the midst of a climate emergency, building an LRT is clearly the only option to consider with its proven economic, health and environmental benefits that such infrastructure brings.
I would hate to believe that Hamilton is being targeted unfairly by the provincial government but it is hard not to come to that conclusion when we see comparable LRT projects in other municipalities proceed.
Prove me wrong and help Hamilton reach its potential with an LRT that ensures positive environmental, economic and health outcomes.
Thank You.
Kris Gadjanski -
David Coren says,
Mr Ford,
I’m sorry to hear the news of the loss in your family, my condolences.
Please help our great city get the LRT back on your funding list, our cities future depends on this critical project.
It will help get many vehicles off our roads, hence helping our neighbourhood and planet
You know it’s the right thing to do
All the Best in 2020
Regards
DC
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Thomas Lorini says,
Its hard to believe after all the years of work and support that this project has been cancelled. I fully support moving forward with building the LRT and hope the current government will make the necessary reversal of their decision.
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Frank Taylor says,
To take away a transit system that was promised and desperately needed to help further the revival and progress of the city isn’t acceptable. The message it sends is one that makes re-election of this government impossible to consider. We need a government that has the vision to see how important a province wide transit is to the betterment of the overall economy and for the environment.
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Anna Vermaat says,
It is very obvious that the current PC government of Ontario is simply lying - you are not comparing projects apples for apples but doing everything you can to kick Hamilton to the curb with your policies. The last thing we need is more ashphalt - a transit system that can move thousands of Hamilton residents without using cars is the forward thinking option. We need to keep our green spaces for water run off absorption....not more ashphalt.
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Beverly Leslie says,
In order to align and conform with the surrounding cities, Hamilton needs to build the LRT. Leaving us out of the transit renewal happening all across the GTA and surrouding areas is nonsensical. Please review your decision regarding funding for this most valuable project.
Sincerely
Beverly Leslie -
Risa Maldonado says,
I really don't understand why this needs to be so complicated. If financially our province can't make this work then cool, but I want to see the financial breakdown as to why this isn't going to work. I feel like that's very fair, and the lack of transparency that the Hamilton community is being faced with is not acceptable.
I don't care about dollar beers, I don't care about the pile of shit that got dumped on DF's (office) lawn. I care about our community being supported and given the tools needed to continue to create growth in a budding city. This should be our provincial governments top priority as well.
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Jonathan Michael says,
I tried to attend the botched press conference when the Ford-govt announcement axing the project was supposed to be made public. A woman in the hotel lobby was on the phone, sobbing: "LRT is canceled!"
At the time I didn't understand the woman's tearful disappointment, even though I shared it to some degree. It was only afterward that it hit me: the woman had been using a wheelchair; the project's cancelation meant that she'd lost an accessible-transit lifeline.The development community is not the only one to suffer from this short-sighted decision. Real folks with everyday concerns such as moving across the city unencumbered, concerns that many of us take for granted, are perhaps impacted by this cowardly reversal the most.
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Deanne MacRae says,
Get Hamilton’s LRT back on track!
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John MacMillan says,
Hamilton deserves to be treated fairly.
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Sandra Emery says,
I am absolutely appalled by how this government has run roughshod over the democratic process to bring LRT to Hamilton. Furthermore it has been handled in an absolutely disrespectful and disgraceful manner. The rationale for this decision must be made public including all expense calculations explained in full.
Many initiatives were begun on the promise of LRT and this city was already seeing the benefits.
Regardless of how one feels about the project, no municipal government and its people should be treated this way by the Province. Shameful! -
Kathleen Livingston says,
Dear sirs,
I am appalled at the Ford government's decision to cancel the Hamilton LRT project.Never was a project more studied, more debated, more delayed, more subject to every possible discussion, consultation and review and still found to be worthy of public investment. And yet, Minister Mulroney, at this VERY late juncture in the process, finds imaginary financial projections to justify a completely indefensible cancellation.
I call upon all government representatives, at all levels, to work tirelessly to rectify this "decision" as poorly supported by the facts. Every opposing politician with any influence on this project MUST justify their position in detail, with real facts, not ideological shell games.
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Kelly Kerr says,
I think your behaviour has continued to erode trust in this government with the corrupt antics you have demonstrated by pulling the plug on the LRT. It's unfortunate someone's political agenda is getting in the way of what's best for a community. So glad you didn't get my vote
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David Wootton says,
I will not be voting conservative unless the LRT is re-instated quickly and shovels in the ground by spring. There has been way too much delay already!! This reminds me of conservative government delays for DECADES in completing hwy 403 to Hamilton, bypassing Hamilton with hwy 401 in the 60's, the decades-old delay in completing the Red Hill expressway, the delay in the mid-peninsula highway and the delay in fixing the the Clappison interchange along with the Morriston bypass what would greatly alleviate the problem of getting from Hamilton to Guelph! In addition, we had to suffer the humiliation from a conservative government when Aldershot was added to Burlington and our R B G was given to that community! I don't want to look at King St being boarded up for the next 10 years nor do I want to see the sudden stop of high-rise buildings going up in Hamilton because of your incompetence I am tired of your government treating our city as the "trailer trash city" of Canada. If Kitchener can afford the L R T then certainly Hamilton can!
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