All Statements of Support
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Cheryl Webb says,
Dear Premier Ford,
I was incredibly disappointed when Hamilton's LRT project was cancelled suddenly and with so little information for Hamiltonians. I believe this project will lead to significant growth for our city. Good public transit is integral to a healthy city and a healthy region.
I ask that your reconsider this decision and invest in Hamilton's future.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Webb -
Joanna Kadlubowska says,
Do disappointed about the Lrt cancellation.
Buses are terrible.
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Chris Whitfield says,
I hope one day Doug Ford, Caroline Mulroney and Donna Skelly wake up and realize that they have made an unforgivable mistake that seemed like more of a hit job than a broken promise.
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Susan Chisholm says,
Hamilton deserves better than how we were treated by the province. We were disrespected when the Minister lacked the courage to face the citizens of this community and our elected representatives in her failed press conference. We were disrespected by a third party assessment and bogus numbers used to tank a project behind our backs. By the wastage of millions of dollars. The ignoring of a mayoral race that was a referendum. The lack of transparency and vague references to unknown concerns raised by unnamed people in a back room process to cancel the LRT. By the task force to be struck outside of our community to decide for us what is best. Yes there are LRT opposers. But they lost our mayoral election. They have lost every key vote at city council. There are always naysayers in every big change. Listening to them in this case was a huge error by Ford. We deserve equal treatment to every other major transit investment in this province.
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Barbara Howe says,
The Ford government’s decision to pull the plug on Hamilton LRT project is not only an irresponsible waste of taxpayers money but has no supporting facts or numbers to justify the decision. This was a political decision to satisfy the PC base and some Liberals and our city will suffer economically as a result. Donna Skelly and others must wear this.
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Andrew buxton says,
We need to be doing things like LRT to help mitigate the climate crisis as well as to get Hamilton moving.
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Chris Schotsman says,
We need to invest in Hamilton for the greater good of all Ontario and this includes transit. This is exactly what government's role is: to make these bold investments in our communities to make them better for future generations. It astounds me that this government could suddenly cancel something AFTER PROMISING TO INVEST IN THIS!!! What will the cost be if we DON'T do this? We need this investment for the greater good of all Ontario - including the GTA. As a lifelong Hamiltonian, we continue to see our taxes rises, our burden of responsibility increase as more and more people with social needs move to our community yet we get looked over so many times for investment in infrastructure. Infrastructure such as LRT is needed to make Hamilton thrive and be a bigger contributor to the Ontario economy. Don't engage this shortsighted thinking - it has long term consequences.
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Pheroze Jeejeebhoy says,
Hamilton downtown is booming with new residential builds. You g couple and singles are moving here. These are the riders that will use the LRT. Cancelling a major city building initiative now is destructive to Hamilton's long term viability. Please reconsider.
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Aaron Weafer says,
Mr Ford, you’ve created a reputation for yourself during your tenure as Premiere that leads me to believe this email is pointless. Your pursuit of economic growth and wise government spending is either a sham, or you are grossly incompetent.
The City of Hamilton has rarely been a strong Conservative base, but your administration’s decision to go back on your word, to confirm yourself as a liar and untrustworthy, is not helping your party’s cause. Our city has invested an estimated $130+ million into this project. The people of the city voted in a Mayor essentially on this single issue, and your government has hamstrung the democratic process and wasted millions.
Your administration’s decision to go back on your commitments, is stalling economic growth in one of the fastest growing regions in the country. You have cost the region thousands of jobs, both in the short term, and over decades to come. The logic behind your decision denotes a callous cruelty and spiteful ness. Have you been purchased by special interest groups who will benefit from more people driving? Are you so blind to the value of infrastructure that you can’t see this expenditure as an investment? Or are you simply so like the fictional Scrooge that your love of cutting costs has corrupted your soul and tainted your ability to see clearly?
The democratic process has revealed that the populous is calling for investment into transit infrastructure, particularly public transit projects across the province. Your decision to ignore the will of the people who have been elected to serve will not be forgotten.
We are calling on you to change your mind, again.
Honour the commitments both your administration, and previous Premieres have made. Get the LRT back on track. Serve the will of the people. Respect the democratic process or step aside from your role as Premiere. -
Tom Shea says,
Light Rail is an essential component if Hamilton is to be a livable, financially viable, and environmentally sustainable city in the future. We need this project.
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Jeremy Smith says,
I refuse to stay in a city that can’t help itself. If the LRT is not happening then my family and I are moving to a city or province that deserves our money.
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Vince Franco says,
Please don't cancel LRT outright. It is a system for the future of Hamilton, and not for the people of today. The generalized thinking of "What's in it for me?" needs to change!
Perhaps a modified version would cut down costs. Reducing the track length and then perform expansions as they do in other mass transit systems makes more sense.
I would recommend McMaster to downtown first (or even to Ottawa Street) since students take transit more than any other demographic, and it covers the most traffic congestion in the original proposed track.
Successful governments think of the future. Nothing ever gets cheaper to build (just look at the past 5 years). Investing today makes more sense than 10 years from now when there is a transit crisis and the costs become $10B to start from scratch.
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Tyler Roach says,
We've fought for so many years for this project. Countless votes by council in support. Countless city projects built or pending based on the future build of LRT. Hamilton needs this and to cancel it at this stage is a disgrace. You should be ashamed of yourself for the cowardly way you have behaved.
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Dolores Smith says,
Please Hamilton needs LRT to keep developing into an even greater city!
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Mike Olivier says,
Hamilton LRT is essential for the city's, and Ontario's, economy. It's more efficient and cost effective to travel by rail, and will include Hamilton as Ontario's third major economic zone.
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Thomas Shepherd says,
The Hamilton of 2030 will not function without the installation of permanent high order transit. Don't handicap a city of 600,000 for decades to settle a political score. What's good for Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, and Kitchener Waterloo is good for Hamilton.
Do the right thing make the investment that was promised, votes for, studies, designed and underway. Build Hamilton's LRT.
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Simon Filice says,
I want the LRT to push the other Hamilton projects like the waterfront and other projects that are away from downtown. I also don’t want Hamilton to continue to be the joke of Ontario.
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Anton Lodder says,
As a former resident and current property owner in Hamilton, I'm asking you to reinstate funding for Hamilton's LRT project.
This project is 12 years in the making, including nearly $150M already spent. It is an excellent idea for Hamilton, replacing the 5-10 different bus routes that currently run on the corridor along the expansive, overbuilt King Street route in Hamilton's downtown core.
Hamilton has a lot of potential for new developments -- it has a large quantity of cheap surface parking and poor-quality, low-density buildings that are ripe for reinvestment around a rapid transit line, generating new jobs and businesses.
Your decision to cancel funding for this project, months before real bids come in, on the basis of made-up numbers, is shocking. It is inconsistent with other cities which do get funding commitments for projects, such as Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Ottawa, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Mississauga, and Waterloo. It makes the provinces positions on other transit projects completely unbelievable.
If you can't get Hamilton LRT done, why should anyone believe you can deliver any other transit commitments you've made? If you can't deliver an LRT for less than 4 times the cost of ION in waterloo, why should anyone believe that you can run the province efficiently and cut waste? It goes against your brand and I don't understand it.
Build Hamilton's LRT
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Sharon Houston says,
Hamilton is growing at an incredible rate with Torontonians flocking to the city for affordable homes. We need a world-class transit system to keep cars off our roads and move people through the city. We have discussed and debated and voted and the citizens have spoken, as you said. We deserve the same as Mississauga. We know the ministers numbers were hugely inflated and not reflective of the actual costs, having included 30 years of operating costs. This is no way to treat a city that is growing. Don't pull the rug out from under us. It was a slap in the face to all of the people of Hamilton. We demand that you stand by your promises and give us the LRT money that you assured us was ours.
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Mara Adams says,
This is an economic and expensive mistake. Many businesses and developments are counting on this initiative. Correct this colossal mistake.
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Robin Parsons says,
Dear Premier Ford:
Hamilton has done the hard work to show our support for LRT. Now we're asking for fair treatment compared to other cities. Sir, the people of Hamilton implore you: please let the bid process finish. If the final bids come in over budget, we can scale back the project (like Mississauga just did) or ask the Federal Government to help.
Let's explore every option to get this transformative investment in economic development back on track so Hamilton can really be "open for business" and help drive Ontario's economy forward. -
Ean Arnage says,
Mr. Ford,
Your transport minister Caroline Mulroney made a terrible mistake cancelling Hamilton's LRT project. You can be the hero now to bring this project back on track and create a seismic shift in Hamilton's perception towards your PC government.
There are massive rewards to be had at the political, economic and publicity levels by reinstating this project. Perhaps it means jettisoning Miss Mulroney from your cabinet but that would be a decisive act in leadership on your part and frankly, one that is much needed to establish that you truly are still in charge, listening to the people and not allowing your ministers to push you around for their own misguided agendas.
Mr. Ford show this province, and the world that you are a leader in innovative transport solutions to reduce traffic congestion, raise regional economies and plan well ahead into the future to meet Southern Ontario's growing population trends. This will be your legacy in just a few years. Do you want to be remembered as the man who crashed this region's economic engine or the man who brought us speeding into the future?
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Brenda Begumisa says,
We need green options for our city.
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Catherine Cox says,
Dear Premier Ford,
Please fix Mulroney's mistake on LRT and make it right for Hamilton!
We need this LRT project, it will be a huge benefit to the community. Lots of developers have risked their money to build in Hamilton along the LRT route. Mulroney's mess-up is putting their investment and Hamilton's reputation at risk.
Ontario is NOT open for business if investors cannot rely on the government's promise to build LRT, most recently just in March!
If there are cost over-runs, find efficiencies. We need a can-do attitude, not a government that just gives up. Ordinary Hamiltonians are supporting this project. Please support us!
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scott ireland says,
What makes a good leader? Integrity. Re-commit to Hamilton’s LRT!!! Even Conservatives want it!
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Teresa LaFave says,
Put Hamilton back on the LRT Track.
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Simon Carroll says,
It is shameful that after all the bluster about the NDP destroying the City of Hamilton, this current government has decided to actually do something that will damage our city. It’s disgusting.
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Douglas Gerow says,
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
So many people had so much invested in this project. Why don't you leave one lasting legacy. So much waste and for what?
Do what is right and put this back on the books.. -
Audrey Patocs says,
Dear Premier Ford,
I was shocked and saddened to hear Minister Mulroney's announcement and rationale cancelling Hamilton's LRT. I have been a Hamilton resident for my entire life, using transit to commute to work in Toronto for several years, and at times in Hamilton. I have traveled to large and small cities across Canada and the world, and I have seen first hand how fast, desirable transit builds economies and healthy cities. Here in Hamilton, major economic development has followed the provincial and municipal commitment to build LRT. In addition to damaging our credibility as a city and a province, dropping the well-developed LRT plans would represent a major lost opportunity for Hamilton's budding lrevitalization. The properties acquired by Metrolinx will certainly sit vacant for years, and I fear projects in development may be abandoned in light of this news.
We do not need to strike a new task force to determine the best transit option for Hamilton. The evidence has been already reviewed extensively and the residents of Hamilton have indicated their support in the city's most recent municipal election.
Please reconsider this decision, help us find a way to make this initiative happen for Hamilton.
Thanks for you consideration,
Audrey Patocs
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Frances Neufeld says,
I am concerned and disappointed in the lack of vision from Councillor Skelly for Ward 5. LRT could be transformational for our entire city, near and far from the line, with improved quality of life, regional economy and pride in our city. It takes visionary leadership to lead through the challenges of construction bringing the City together. I hope that our members of council will reaffirm their support for the project at next week's GIC meeting, and engage in meaningful community consultation and momentum building from there. We could build a better City together!!
Dream bigger!
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