People want subways and it's time to get shovels in the ground to start building them with the city's $1-billion budget, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said during a press conference Thursday.
"We have $1 billion, let's get the shovel in the ground," Ford said. "There is too much talking going on, and not enough doing."
His message comes after city council approved a plan in February to use the $1 billion for transit allotted by the Ontario government to build above-ground light-rail transit, which is a less costly option.
Ford made the comments at a press conference held by the pro-subway organization SAFE, which stands for Subways are for Everyone.
SAFE supporters stood behind Ford holding "honk 4 subways" signs.
The group was promoting a meeting SAFE is hosting in Scarborough on Monday to shore up support for subways.
Monday's meeting will be the second Scarborough meeting hosted by the organization.
Scarborough Coun. Norm Kelly was also at the press conference. He said Scarborough residents are angry at being ignored for so long when it comes to transit.
"Subways are not only the best way to go along Sheppard Avenue in Scarborough, but the best way to go in building a rapid transit network," Kelly said.
The demonstration comes as city council waits on an expert panel's report on transit on Sheppard Avenue that will be released Friday.
Ford dismissed the report before it was released.
"The advisory panel is a biased panel, we all know what they are going to say," Ford told reporters.
The panel includes representatives from TTC, Metrolinx, Toronto Civic Action Alliance and the Toronto Environmental Alliance, as well as Coun. Gordon Chong and former mayor David Crombie.
The panel is expected to go against Ford's wishes and support the light-rail transit option along Sheppard Avenue.
