Getting railed

THORNHILL BOUND? The Yonge line expansion is certainly taking its time according to some officials in Vaughan, including MPP Peter Shurman.

When will Yonge subway expand north?

Time is running out as efforts to expand the Yonge subway line into York Region continue to stagnate.

Securing more funding for the 6.8-kilometre subway extension into Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill is at a critical juncture, says Vaughan councillor Alan Shefman, as roughly $200 to $400 million is needed to proceed into the next phase of the project.

“The key for us now, is the engineering money, that’s huge,” he said in mid-December.

Currently, a team from VIVA, the transit agency overseeing the project in the 905, is doing what they can to build momentum for the project.

“One of my great concerns is that if there isn’t at least the next round of funding available … than the actual team may not be able to be maintained anymore,” Shefman says.

A joint partnership between York Region and Toronto transit agencies, the Yonge subway extension would expand the Yonge subway line north from Finch station ending at the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. An environmental assessment was completed in 2009, but there hasn’t been significant movement on the project since.

“There are very small amounts of funding that have helped perpetuate the pre-design stages of the subways,” Shefman said. “VIVA has been continuing to push forward at the smallest level to keep staff in place, to keep planning going.”

In an effort to breathe new life into the project, Vaughan council recently established a taskforce looking at new funding strategies.

It will be made up of members from Toronto, Markham, and Richmond Hill councils as well as business community stakeholders.

Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman says the extension project will likely wind up involving private sector funding, especially because the federal and provincial governments “aren’t stepping up” thus far.

“This effort is going to have to be coupled with a number of other participants who are equally eager,” he said.

Shurman said while he’d like to see the extension ultimately owned by a transit agency, he suggested the private sector could get involved in a public-private partnership with diminishing ownership.

While Shurman applauded Vaughan council for taking initiative, he said all levels of government must sit down at the table to hatch out a viable plan.

“There’s no question it’s going to be built,” he said. “The question is, when and by whom?”

Shurman and Shefman agree multiple transit sagas south of the 905 have effectively pushed plans for a subway extension off the provincial funding radar.

“The reality is (David) Miller’s plan for Transit City appeared out of nowhere, and just became the priority project. Now (Rob) Ford has a number of projects that he’s pushed forward … and we’re still waiting,” Shefman said referring to Toronto’s former and current mayors.

The councillor acknowledged the heavy demand for rapid transit in Toronto, but he adds transit planners can’t “turn a blind eye” to intensification taking place in the GTA, especially along the Yonge Street corridor.

“The speed of growth in our regions is just incredible.”

Shefman says the taskforce will explore a variety of funding mechanisms, such as parking levies, a transit sales tax and a special property surcharge.

The taskforce’s funding strategy is to be presented to Vaughan council for approval in 2012.