All Statements of Support
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David Ellis says,
I am proud to be a Hamiltonian. Hamilton can not afford to miss this opportunity.
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Heather Kindy says,
Please...No More Delays for LRT. 1.Delays are extremely Costly for the whole city of Hamilton
.2. We need the "7000 to 10,000" New Jobs for our people.3.It will be too costly to try to repair and replace old underground pipes etc.4.Taxes will go up with Or Without the LRT. Taxes are a part of our lives and we must continue to go forward and make our people feel rewarded on having a job and putting food on the table and having a better life.Jobs and Taxes help everyone... Sincerely, Heather Kindy -
nicole tollenaar says,
As someone who has recently moved to this city I am surprised at how out of date the transit system is. I support the LRT plan and believe it is essential to the urban growth and can help support density rather than sprawl (which threatens our farm and forest land).
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Michael Gennaccaro says,
LRT in Hamilton is desperately needed. There can no longer be delays on this vote. Take the investment from the federal and provincial government to help Hamilton move toward the future. Not taking this $3.4B investment would make Hamilton a national embarrassment. While other cities use light rail and mass transit to better there communities and economies, Hamilton always falls behind substantially. The debate that’s taken over a decade can no longer be an issue. Vote yes and build LRT! The future of Hamilton depends on it!
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Cassandra A says,
Please vote yes for Lrt.
If certain councilors vote it down, please divide Hamilton back up. There are too many clashing interests and all the outliers do is stop us from becoming the city we could be. Why would you not want to improve your neighbour's way of life? Decisions that affect downtown Hamilton should not be in the hands of Stoney Creek, Waterdown, the mountain or Flamborough. Fix the broken system. We're tired of being left out on this, garbage clean up, cleared sidewalks, infrastructure etc etc. The list goes on and on. Please help!!!!! -
Sylvia Parr says,
I support
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Patricia Strung says,
LRT is the best mode of transit in the downtown sector of Hamilton. Please pass this motion.
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William Downes says,
I am a Hamiltonian born and bred and have followed the city as closely as I can over many years. I have visited annually until the covid made this impossible.I want to add my voice and urge city council to finally approve and move quickly on achieving the Light Rail Transit. As one born on the old BELT LINE it is clear to me that fixed infrastructure provides the skeleton for development in every important city, linking the key nodes of a conurbation. It also makes key commercial nodes connectable with huge dead spaces - and fairly low profit - urban spaces given over to parking. It also gives dynamism and cultural life to the whole 'Greater' area, helping to make the Hamilton-Burlington conurbation an even better place to live. It will benefit all the residential suburbs, as transit does elsewhere. Hamilton deserves the best and the opportunity on offer is fantastic - once in a lifetime. And its only a beginning. Please commit to it on Wednesday (take two). All the best to the mayor and everyone representing all Hamiltonians, absentees or not, on city council. Bill.
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Gina Fabello says,
Please stop the delay. This is good for Hamilton. Enough already.
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Bev Archer says,
Stop the Delay, bring Hamilton into the 21st century.
Vote YES for LRT in Hamilton.LRT is not the transportation solution for the future, it is the best solution for NOW.
If we really care about the environment, and want to reduce global warming, we need to choose LRT for Hamilton! -
Annette Caprice says,
City Councillors,
We, the people of Hamilton, have been offered a gift; a gift to the tune of $3.4B that won’t only give our city a much needed facelift and modernized transit system, it will help pay the costs for the much needed updating of our crumbling infrastructure. Without the LRT, the costs to update all of that infrastructure are costs that I, for one, don’t want added to my taxes, and if you decide to refuse the money that has been offered to us, the additional taxes that we will have to shell out to pay for the infrastructure ourselves will be your fault. Our taxes are high enough as it is. People’s wallets were already stretched pre-Covid, and now because of the pandemic, things have become that much worse. The added pressure of having to pay that much more in taxes to cover the costs of our failing infrastructure will surely break some homeowners. And that will be on your hands.In 2018, we held an election that was about more than just choosing a mayor. It was the LRT referendum that Hamilton needed. At the time, we were considered a city that seemed very much divided on the matter. The core reason for that divide? A slander machine that was powered by one of your own. Sources say she paid money from her own wallet in hopes of turning the tide. She made up lies and used false information to sway support to her side. In turn, she did everything in her power to turn the people of Hamilton against the LRT, but despite her best efforts, it did not work! Hamilton voted Mayor Fred back in, ultimately saying YES to the LRT. Since that election, support for the LRT has continued to grow. People who were on the fence have become full on supporters, and some anti-LRTers have had a complete change of heart. We all know that the LRT will only benefit this city, so why turn it down? If at this point, you are still planning to vote no, it’s self-serving and the voters know it.
What happens if you vote no? This money is being offered for the LRT and the LRT only. There isn’t an option to accept the money and build a silly BRT instead. It’s the LRT or nothing. This 3.4 BILLION dollars is a gift of opportunity for our city. If you were to visit Europe, you’ll find a lot of cities with incredible LRT transit systems that are both used and adored. Like Hamilton, these European cities weren’t originally built to accommodate modern rail systems, but they made them work, and so can we!
Turn down this money and Hamilton will become a literal laughingstock. Who turns down $3.4 billion dollars??
Please do the right thing for the future of our city and its residents and vote YES to the LRT!
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John Thompson says,
June 15, 2020
Councillors:
It is absolutely essential that you sign the LRT Operations and Maintenance Agreement with Metrolinx tomorrow, so that this project so vital to Hamilton may proceed. If not, Hamilton will be the laughing stock of Queen's Park and Ottawa, as the city that is mired in the past.
I trust that you have had city staff perform a thorough, accurate estimate of the costs to Hamilton. Bear in mind that Metrolinx will pay for the replacement of water and sewer pipes that need to be relocated; repaving the affected portions of King and Main Streets curb to curb; extending Frid Street; and replacing the Longwood Road bridge. In addition, many HSR buses and drivers would be released for service elsewhere.
I was in Kitchener-Waterloo last Friday and saw many new buildings some quite high, near their new LRT line. This new assessment represents a tremendous windfall for the city, and the same could happen in Hamilton with LRT. Riding the LRT is a pleasure, as the cars are smooth and quiet, compared to buses. They can hold over 250 passengers, yet with only one employee.
Council has to look to the future, of providing a legacy for this generation, and those to come. LRT is the way to go.
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Joanne Edmiston says,
Please commit to getting the LRT approved and moving!
The economic benefits to all people of the city of Hamilton will be huge!
Think of all the infrastructure upgrades that will be done and paid for by the government that need to be done anyway.
Think of the added tax base a booming city centre will generate. These are benefits for all residents of Hamilton, no matter which ward one lives in.Hamilton needs to be progressive! I can’t believe city council would even consider not taking this money to build the LRT. I want to be proud of the decision making in this city.
Get the LRT built!
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Vince Franco says,
Why is Bob Bratina trying to sabotage the progression of LRT? He starting to sound like a dictator rather than admitting defeat to a process that has been debated for over 12 years. The decision was already made democratically many times before, and the majority of Hamiltonians voted in favour of LRT. I'm dumbfounded. He quit politics. He's had his say... now move along and retire for good!!!
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Cynthia Meyer says,
The LRT could allow strengthening of other routes in hamilton and thus benefit Hamiltonians not on the LRT route. Please seize this last opportunity and get the LRT built.
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SHARON GIBBONS says,
I am writing to express my complete approval for the Hamilton LRT line and to insist that our council "GET ON" with the project.
I support the numerous jobs the line will bring, the upgraded infrastructure that I am going to have to pay for though taxes regardless and the economic considerations an LRT line will bring.
I have used LRT in Europe, Asia and Australia as well as the UK, Vancouver, Edmonton etc.
Seamless, efficient and affordable.
PLEASE - quit this stalling and fumbling and get this project moving
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ROBERT KESIK says,
Ladies and Gentleman,
This is an easy one. Use this money to build the LRT. Reroute bus' along those lines to other underserved areas. This is an opportunity that should not be passed up.
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Chris Ranalli says,
Let's get this done. If we turn down the $ we'll be the laughingstock of Ontario, maybe even Canada. After Sewaregate, the massive delays to build the Red Hill and Pavementgate, what's next for our dithering City Council?
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RP Haslett says,
LRT = $3.4B funding
BRT = NO funding
anything else = absolutely NO funding -
Cora Muis says,
Please Council let let's GO with LRT
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Ron Jenkins says,
no more delays...vote for it wendsday
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Michael Root says,
It seems to me that opposition to the Hamilton LRT, particularly in its expanded function as an elegant, electricity-powered link running from Stoney Creek to Dundas, reflects a bias against the vision of Hamilton as a city where people choose to live. Council members ought to support infrastructure that connects the people of the city with one another.
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Douglas Gerow says,
Absolutely unreal that anyone would consider NOT accepting this amazing offer that will propel Hamilton in an wonderful direction for years to come.
Shame on you if this is not allowed to go through.
If you are only running Hamilton for you own self interests.. Then step away.
Unbelievable that a bunch of you are so insistent on hurting Hamilton economically for your own gain.
For people running Hamilton there are many that are out of touch with the good that this will do for all communities. -
Gary Dennis says,
Do something right for once.
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A C says,
I'm so so tired of sending versions of this e-mail...
The LRT has been legitimately reviewed and recommended as being in the best interest of (all of) Hamilton for nearly (maybe+) 10 years now. Every organization with real skin in the game, from developers to transit riders to ENGO's to the Chamber of Commerce, wish construction was underway. The last vote for mayor clearly showed what the majority of voters (City-wide) thought. We need to move along.
If you are reticent to accept the proposed Fed/Prov funding, please tell me how you plan to pay for the myriad sideline infrastructure repairs it will assist with (from old east City sewer needs to the Longwgood bridge) that someone (ie. ALL City rate payers) will need to pay for eventually/shortly.
I,seriously, can't believe we're still having this discussion and that no one (very few) with vocal local opponents haven't chose to understand, and explain, the upside of this project to them (like Zehr, with an increased current tax base in KW now did years ago).
I fear that Hamilton regards project planning as an upper-government hostage taking exercise and not an actual analysis of what needs to happen locally, and when, for the betterment of the City overall. (Sadly, like giving a crying kid cake to quiet them, the upper-levels seem to let you get away with with this approach in desperation ad nauseam: NOT GOOD!). Doing so may, save some immediate spends but, also, I believe, delay wise-investment revenues that might fuel our ultimate progress towards where we portend/pretend we want to be (ie. perhaps, a tax base to do things on your own!)
Can we please stop this charade and just get things done?!
Now.
Hopefully.
Thx. -
Andrew Dasigan says,
I would like to express my strong support for the Hamilton LRT project. It does not make sense for the city to turn down a $3.4b project where the capital costs are 100% covered by the senior levels of government and where the operating costs are less than what BRT service would cost. One only has to look down the road to Kitchener-Waterloo to see how an LRT project can spur development that would benefit the tax base of the city as a whole, not just the areas directly served by the LRT.
Thank you,
Andrew Dasigan
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David Wootton says,
Please, do not ruin Hamilton's future by not voting to receive $3.4 B. What kind of city or councillors would ever vote to not receive this one-time gift. The repercussions of not receiving the money would harm this city for decades to come. Many of us would be downright ashamed of the city and its administration! Hamilton just saved $10 M each year by unloading the entertainment facilities. The $ 20 M for transportation would amount to $ 10M extra on the nearly 600 000 residents. Why is it that some on council are so negative that they do not see all of the benefits of the L R T. I need not list them as you already know them. Is Stoney Creek, for example, not smart enough to realize that the L R T would be extended further along Queenston Road and eventually connect them to GO transit as well as McMaster and downtown???
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Margaret Ferizis says,
If the councilor of this actually gave a damn about it and it's future, they would be supporting the LRT and not against it.
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David Colacci says,
LRT is about changing the way our community works. It is a starting point to advance transit to all corners of our city. It will serve our needs today, and well into the future. I implore any Councilor not on board to think long and hard about a $3.4 BILLION investment in our city on behalf of all Canadians and all Ontarians. Make no mistake, this money will be spent. It is better spent here to help with our pandemic recovery. This project must move forward!
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Trish Vanson says,
A good transit system is integral to the functioning of our city. Please work with the other levels of gov't to implement the plan for LRT to go forward. If nothing else, consider the savings in infrastructure. No plan is perfect, but our city deserves LRT.
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