A revised plan for the Scarborough subway extension recommends that the city build only one new station instead of three, according to reports.
A source tells CP24 that under the revised planning report, the subway would be extended from Kennedy station directly to Scarborough Town Centre. It would not stop at Lawrence and Sheppard stations as originally planned.
Coun. Norm Kelly said he would support the new proposal.
“Twenty years ago, as a Metro (Toronto) councillor, I voted for a subway system that would go to the Scarborough Town Centre and help it become the economic hub of the east end of Toronto,” Kelly said.
“If that’s going to occur as a result of this initiative, I am delighted.”
The shorter subway extension would save the city about $1billion in infrastructure costs. Those savings would then be spent on extending the new Eglinton-Crosstown LRT line from Kennedy station to the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus -- adding 17 stops to the line.
The city says the new plan for the Scarborough subway and Eglinton-Crosstown LRT would not exceed the subway extension’s $3.56-billion original price tag.
Mayor John Tory said the new plan will help “deliver more transit” in the city.
“My objective was always to make sure we use the best available planning evidence and that we try to reach a consensus on what is best,” Tory said, adding that the new plan would be a “more efficient use of the taxpayers’ money.”
Tory however, would not discuss the details of the new plan.
“I have said all along that what is really important is that Scarborough is the only former city (of Metro Toronto) that does not have a subway connection from its core to rapid transit,” he said. “That has less to do with the number of stations and more to do with the fact that there just isn’t a connection.”
The chief planner’s report outlining the details of the new proposal will be released Thursday.
