Ford runs roughshod over residents and rights with transit-stalling bill

QUEEN’S PARK — NDP MPPs Jessica Bell (Transit critic) and Peter Tabuns (Toronto—Danforth) said Doug Ford is setting the stage for costly mistakes by gutting the planning process for transit with the passage today of Bill 171.

“The passage of Ford’s transit bill is bad news for transit riders who are tired of cramming onto subways and watching buses pass by them, because it will cause years-long delays in getting new transit built,” said Bell. “This is just taking things from bad to worse after Ford canceled good shovel-ready transit projects and cut funding to transit by 40 per cent.”

The NDP tried to reduce the harm caused by Ford’s bad transit bill by proposing 33 amendments. Those amendments would have required a community benefits agreement for transit projects, a fair expropriations process, the development of a residents’ bill of rights during construction, a fair environmental assessment process, and compensation for businesses harmed by the impact of transit construction. The Ford government voted down every single amendment.

“Residents and businesses are committed to transit that works for Toronto,” said Tabuns. “A bill that cuts the public out of the planning process and tramples on their rights undermines support for the transit we need.”