All Statements of Support
-
Roland Tanner says,
Dear Premier Ford,
As a resident of the neighbouring city of Burlington, I would like to express my deep disappointment at the provincial government's cancellation of funding to the Hamilton LRT project.
While LRT projects go ahead in Mississauga and Scarborough, with enthusiastic support from the provincial government, Hamilton is being told its LRT is too expensive, based on highly misleading figures, for which no proper source has been provided.
The logic does not add up. Worse still, this repeats the longstanding habit of Hamilton being treated like a second class citizen compared to other cities in the GTHA. The economic transformation which the province was bringing about in Hamilton through LRT is now set back, while businesses learn that the provincial government is not to be trusted to follow through on promises.
LRT carries far more passengers than buses - even buses in dedicated lanes. It is cleaner and signals to developers and businesses the permanent nature of infrastructure that they can rely on, thus promoting the best in development and investment. LRT will place Hamilton back in its rightful place as a vibrant and attractive city that offers things no other place in Ontario can offer.
Living in Burlington, I want to see Hamilton prosper. Perhaps no other city in Ontario has the potential that Hamilton has for a truly inspirational transformation. But it cannot happen without investment from government in its future. That investment will be repaid many times over by business investment and population growth as Hamilton becomes an ever more attractive destination.
Please reverse this misguided decision.
Sincerely,
Roland Tanner
-
Cadence Machry says,
I support the LRT for a clean and sustainable future.
-
Jaimie Nicole Rizzo says,
To whom it may concern
The LRT is about more than just transit. This investment in our city not only connects us end to end, but serves as the starting point for improvements in transit all around. Construction of the project means jobs - means that Hamilton truly is open for business. Furthermore, the LRT will serve to improve communities across Hamilton.LRT is climate action - we cannot continue to sit on the sidelines of this climate crisis. Improved transit means fewer cars on the road - which is a small but meaningful step forward in our actions to reverse climate change.
LRT is an equalizer - the investment in LRT means that every citizen in Hamilton deserves equal opportunity to travel to school, work, and play despite economic status, physical disability, or dozens of other reasons why one might choose not to drive.
Last year, Premier Ford said, "I support building the Hamilton LRT because the people of this great city deserve a working transit system. This is an investment that will create jobs, countless new jobs and stimulate economic development." After the last municipal election, Premier Ford said, "When people democratically elect someone, if [Mayor Eisenberger] wants an LRT, he's gonna get an LRT...that's democracy."
Now we're literally three months away from receiving the final bids to build and operate the system, and Transport Minister Mulroney cites inflated costs as a reason for killing the project at the 11th hour. The firms competing to win the contract are telling LIUNA they don't understand where the government got its latest inflated numbers from.
By comparison, this past October, Metrolinx awarded a $4.6 billion contract over 30 years to build, operate and maintain an 18 km, 19 station LRT system in Mississauga. Their LRT will be up and running in 2024. Why does Hamilton have to play by a different set of rules? It's only fair to follow Metrolinx policy and find cost savings or scale back the project to fit the budget. This is exactly what they did with Mississauga.
It's not too late to do the right thing for the people of Hamilton.
Hamilton has done the hard work. All we're asking for is fair treatment as compared to Mississauga.
Let the bid process finish. If the final bids come in over budget, scale back the project or ask the Federal Government to help.
-
Allen Baker says,
Fred Eisenberger won a defacto referendum on LRT in Hamilton and Premier Ford COMMITTED to building it. Mr. Ford needs to be a man of his word.
-
Megan Platts says,
The plan is there, the land is bought. Build it already.
-
Daniel Konior says,
This development was going to be the next big catalyst to push this great city into its next stage of growth. Ontario is more than Toronto, and its time for you to realize this.
-
Mike Addison says,
The LRT project is a must for Hamilton. This will help economic growth and investment in our great city. Not to mention decreasing carbon emmisions by providing a fantastic transportation alternative to automobiles.
-
Andreas Witz says,
Build the LRT!
-
John Sinclair says,
Hamilton will develop
Faster with an LRT into
A sustainable city. -
christi Hodgson says,
LRT for Hamilton is the opportunity to modernize public transit, address carbon emissions associated with transportation and be a pathway for improving infrastructure along the route. Construction of the LRT will be a temporary inconvenience but the future that I see for my children relies on LRT, for them moving efficiently through a connected city. This LRT investment is for them so that they continue to love and stay in this city.
-
Shelley McKay says,
As a proud downtown Hamilton employee, I take transit to work every day. I was eagerly awaiting LRT.
Having lived in Minneapolis, I have seen how light rail transforms a city and takes residents across the city-without cars, without exhaust.
Have vision. Be brave. Move forward. Bring back our LRT. -
Craig Logue says,
This is a project that will transform the city, bringing investment and revitalizing the downtown. Many developers, businesses and people have already invested in Hamilton on the premise of an LRT coming. Most of the city wants this. Please respect the people of Hamilton who want to see our city become stronger.
-
Max Brett says,
LRT + infill development go hand-in-hand. They are how we revitalize communities, take pressure off our precious farmland, combat climate change and make an Ontario ready for tomorrow. The developers will adapt if they are given the right incentives, and LRT is it.
-
Jason Morse says,
The Hamilton LRT project is the best current option to upgrade the city's transportation system. It includes much needed replacement of utilities and infrastructure on the corridor. Economic growth would be guided to areas already serviced, rather than greenfields. It will reduce the number of trips taken by private automobiles and their resulting pollution, road expenses, personal expense, and danger to human health and safety. It simply makes the most economic sense for all levels of government as well as individuals throughout the province.
-
Julian Mallah says,
Get the Hamilton LRT built.
Too much money has already been invested in this project.
The numbers Mulroney projected for Hamilton do not add up. A 19km track in Waterloo cost under 1 billion. Already built.
Your government’s refusal to back up its 3-5 billion $ claim for Hamilton is indicative it is in fact a false claim.
This can only be seen as a cynical snub towards the people of Hamilton for not voting PC. -
Suffia Malik says,
The light rail was significant to me as a student because I need better public transit to get to school and my volunteering placements around Hamilton. I want to be able to stay in Hamilton after I graduate but without the work and economic opportunities that arise out of public transit development, this becomes harder for me to imagine. I do not have the money to afford private transport and neither do my fellow students. I am also worried about our current system of transport being unsustainable for our environment. A light rail is essential - strong public transportation system is *essential* - for a future that allows me and my peers to live fulfilling and healthy lives. The future is mine to inherit - and by choosing to remove the critical amount of provincial money to fund the LRT, I have a hard time believing that people in power care truly care about young people's futures.
-
John Parkin says,
CANCELING THE LRT IS A STEP BACKWARDS. RESPECT MUNICIPAL POWER DOUG FORD
-
Brian Jantzi says,
This City not only needs this E-W LRT, it needs a N-S one that connects the waterfront with the airport. Both connecting with GO Service. Both of these are long overdue. Hamilton is one of the two most heavily polluted cities in Ontario. The major source of air pollution in Hamilton is transportation. The LRT a d electrification of the HSR bus system and all day GO Service are the only ways 500,000 people will reduce their exposure to toxic air pollution. The economy of Hamilton and the livability of the city depends on a rapid expansion of public transit, giving people a real choice to cars. It all should have been built 10 years ago. Don't delay it even further.
-
Wayde Nie says,
@Doug Ford, Make good on your commitment to a modern LRT transit for Hamilton.
@Hamilton City Hall, get LRT done once funding reestablished. Stop dragging your feet! Kitchener/Waterloo got their's done in the time it took Hamilton to bicker about it. Funding couldn't be pulled if the project had been done in a reasonable timeframe.
-
Chris Sanislo says,
The LRT line is long overdue. In a growing city the size of Hamilton, our transit infrastructure is weak and we continue to sprawl - rather than the dedication that would aid sustainability and efficiency. The LRT project would also have replaced aging under-street infrastructure as well. Now, this will go unaddressed even longer. Significant investment, spurring more growth downtown, will stall. Sad that this government - claiming to be so business-friendly - pulls the rug out from a under a project that has such widespread, private sector support. Please fix this and let the tendering process continue.
-
Rita Chimienti says,
Dear Premier Ford,
I am not sure who or if anyone will read this letter but here goes nothing: Please come to Hamilton and drive down along the LRT route that was recently cancelled. A picture is all you need to see how badly this project is needed here in Hamilton. I believe the LRT will bring a level of renewal to this part of Hamilton that is so badly needed. I support LIUNA's call for an independent investigation of the project's cost because many of us feel the decision to cancel this project was based on politics and not numbers. Your attention to this investigation is badly needed.
Thank you for your time -
Melissa D says,
I am having a hard time with this government’s willingness to throw money away after being elected on a promise to be more fiscally responsible than the previous government. Integrity is also extremely important in politics, as far as ensuring votes are cast for you in the next election. When a project has been endorsed over and over again, and millions of dollars have already been spent, your lack of financial responsibility and integrity are painfully clear to everyone, even your former supporters. Most of this community is well aware of the benefits of LRT, please surprise us and show that your word is good and that you care that tax dollars in this province are spent on direct investment in our community’s infrastructure rather than frivolous lawsuits and self-endorsing branding campaigns.
-
Sean Springer says,
It's LRT or bust.
-
Daniel Caron says,
Going to work by bus everyday towards downtown, having a LRT would make it so much easier!
-
April Dore says,
Mr. Ford you listened to the wrong MP Skelly, she doesn’t speak for hamiltonians on this issue. It was decided in the last municipal election on one issue NO LRT by Vito Scro who was back openly by Skelly, they lost the Mayor’s race. Reinstate the LRT, it’s Hamilton’s future and the cancellation of this LRT project it sends a very very bad message to the world about investing in Ontario and partnering with the Province on any projects, as you’ve proven you can cancel them at anytime, Skelly sold you a story and you bit. bad on you.
-
Stephanie Bertolo says,
Dear Premier Ford and Honorable Mulroney,
I urge you to reconsider the cancellation of the LRT project and make the necessary investments in transit and economic growth in Hamilton.
The announcement of the LRT project gave our city hope for revitalization of our downtown core that would attract investment, create jobs, and be the backbone of a reliable transit network. It would help create a city where young people like me want to live - one where you can quickly get from home to work to errands to entertainment without having to drive. Not only was it a step towards a greener future, but the LRT would reduce emissions in a city with some of the worst air quality in the country. New job opportunities for all skills and trades would be created as businesses would look to our city as a place to grow.
Now living in Toronto for school, I see the immense benefits of a connect, fast, reliable transit network. Your government has continued to invest in Toronto and I begin to wonder why you do not believe our city, and others across Ontario, deserve the same. Premier Ford re-promised Hamilton the investment in the LRT if that's what we wanted. And indeed we do - our citizens elected a council the is pro-LRT who was ready to put shovels in the ground. Yet now, you have failed to keep your word and let down a city and investors who had hope for a better community.
For my generation and the next who will have to deal with the lack of investment in transit and infrastructure in our city, please keep your promise and provide Hamilton with the funding to build the LRT.
-Stephanie Bertolo -
Janis Topp says,
Premier Ford
The decision delivered by Transport Minister Mulroney to cut the funding for Hamilton's LRT was unfathomable. The city voted clearly in favour of the LRT in the last municipal election,the Province has clearly given approval more than once since the election, the bid process was almost finished, other municipalities have LRT projects with similar expenses.
I strongly support the LRT for Hamilton and am asking that you reverse this cancellation and give your support to the project to continue. -
Douglas Gray says,
Therecare only 2 choices, electrify with a the LRT or replace every bus with an electric one. There is a climate emergency and we must take action now and stop burning fossil fuels.
-
Alpa Chino says,
Correct the numbers and get this project back on track!
-
Eileen White says,
Doug Ford is just a puppet of the Conservative Party that denies climate change and is lock step in support of fossil fuel industry. His regressive policies will fail and L.R.T. will move Hamilton forward.
Vote for this statement
