'The Gardiner debate is over': Elevated expressway won't be torn down under Ford
Toronto City Hall is saying good riddance to the Gardiner — on the heels of a fiscal deal that will see the province assume responsibility for the aging expressway.
Ontario's Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria confirmed Tuesday that the government will maintain the elevated eastern portion of the route, which Mayor Olivia Chow had hoped to convert to a surface-level boulevard.
"Absolutely, we would be building that part of the Gardiner," Sarkaria told CTV Toronto Tuesday.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Meanwhile, the premier posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Some people want to tear down the Gardiner Expressway. That would be a disaster for GTA drivers already stuck in bumper to bumper traffic."
"Our new deal with Toronto will save the Gardiner Expressway."
Chow happily hands over the crumbling highway with Queen's Park to assume full capital and operating expenses once the process is complete. Toronto city staff were still assessing the final dollar figure Tuesday, but officials project the savings to the city will be in the billions.
"One reason why I wanted to take down that [elevated] piece was to save money because it was very expensive to rebuild it," Chow said Tuesday.
Council approved the so-called hybrid realignment of the eastern Gardiner in 2016, a decision challenged numerous times since by councillors decrying the cost of rebuilding the eastern leg above grade.
The City has already shelled out more than $500 million in sunk costs on the approved version of the plan. However, the full rebuild is set to start in 2026.
"I was happy with the EA that was approved," Infrastructure Committee Chair Jennifer McKelvie said.
"It's important that when we make a plan, we stick with it. We get on with it. That's what I've always called on, and I'm happy that the premier sees that way, too."
Sarkaria said the province would use the three-year due diligence period to assess whether there should be any additional changes to the expressway.
"We'll review what other improvements can be made to it and take it on a case-by-case basis. But it's our intention, as one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in our province, to make it the best possible," he said.
"The Gardiner debate is over, it's shut down," political analyst Scott Reid said Tuesday. "It's not going to be torn down. It's not going to be rebuilt, refashioned, redesigned."
"It's going to be there with us for decades to come."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Walking pneumonia is surging in Canada. Is it peaking now?
CTVNews.ca spoke with various medical experts to find out the latest situation with the typically mild walking pneumonia in their area and whether parents should be worried.
Minister calls GST holiday, $250 cheques for 18 million Canadians 'a targeted approach'
Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien is calling the federal government's proposed GST holiday and $250 rebate cheques a 'targeted approach' to address affordability concerns.
'Her shoe got sucked into the escalator': Toronto family warns of potential risk of wearing Crocs
A Toronto family is speaking out after their 10-year-old daughter's Crocs got stuck in an escalator, ripping the entire toe area of the clog off.
NEW Thinking about taking an 'adult gap year'? Here's what experts say you should know
Canadian employees are developing an appetite for an 'adult gap year': a meaningful break later in life to refocus, refresh and indulge in something outside their daily routine, according to experts.
'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba
A jury has found two men guilty on human smuggling charges in a case where a family from India froze to death in Manitoba while trying to walk across the Canada-U.S. border.
Prime Minister Trudeau attends Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Toronto with family
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a Swiftie. His office confirmed to CTV News Toronto that he and members of his family are attending the penultimate show of Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' in Toronto on Friday evening.
Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archeological treasures
Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, is getting a brand new subway system that will showcase archeological discoveries made during construction that held up the project for decades.
Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease
An 81-year-old Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to killing his wife with Alzheimer's disease.
Canada Post quarterly loss tops $300M as strike hits second week -- and rivals step in
Canada Post saw hundreds of millions of dollars drain out of its coffers last quarter, due largely to its dwindling share of the parcels market, while an ongoing strike continues to batter its bottom line.