Politicians celebrated, shared laughs, and even shed a tear at a news conference marking another milestone in Hamilton’s long-awaited light rail transit project.
While they didn’t provide exact timelines or costs, provincial transport minister Prabmeet Sarkaria stated “there is no doubt” that the project is progressing after many ups and downs.
The Ontario government revealed on Thursday that Canadian construction firm Aecon will handle a range of infrastructure tasks.
This contract involves moving utilities, rebuilding roads, improving sidewalks, and designing a bridge replacement along with a new underpass, according to Sarkaria who spoke at Hamilton Stadium alongside city and federal leaders.
Sarkaria mentioned that the 14-kilometre LRT will create “6,000 jobs annually during construction” and up to 1,000 permanent operations and maintenance positions once it’s finished. He noted that the province aims to use as much locally-made material “as we possibly can” throughout construction to generate more jobs in Hamilton.
In 2019, Ontario pulled $1 billion in funding for the LRT project which had been in planning since 2007. The province has since shifted its approach, with both the Ontario government and federal government now contributing $1.7 billion towards it.
When CBC Hamilton asked if there’s any chance of halting the project now, Sarkaria was clear: “the train has left the station.”
However, he did not specify when there might be an actual train running.
Sarkaria said work will commence “almost immediately,” but he didn’t disclose how long it would take or when everything would be completed.
Contract Covers About Half of $3.4 Billion Project
Sarkaria also didn’t reveal the value of the contract when asked, saying details about costing would be made available as work progresses.
Michael Lindsay, CEO of provincial transit agency Metrolinx, explained that this contract represents roughly half of what’s needed for the overall $3.4 billion project.
Lindsay noted that based on Metrolinx’s experience with Eglinton LRT-which faced several obstacles over about 15 years-they find it more effective to discuss timeframes in “ranges” rather than giving specifics.
<p“He shared only that Metrolinx will "beat" the time it took to construct Toronto's LRTs by applying lessons learned from those experiences.”
A Tearful Moment for One MP During Conference
MPs John-Paul Danko (Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas) and Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain) discussed how tirelessly politicians and community groups have worked to bring the LRT into reality.
“This wouldn’t happen without that grassroots support,” Danko remarked.
“There were speed bumps along the way,” he added before getting emotional as he thanked councillors Ted Mc Meekin (Ward 15), Nrinder Nann (Ward 3), and Maureen Wilson (Ward 1), whom Danko used to serve alongside on city council.
“We went through a lot of challenges,” he stated.
Danko reflected on how complaints he’s heard regarding Canada’s proposed high-speed rail between Toronto and Quebec City resemble what he encountered about LRT while serving as a councillor.
This high-speed project has raised concerns about land expropriation, loss of farmland, and spending federal funds on projects benefiting some citizens more than others.
“They’re missing the big picture. They’re missing that government is making an investment in our country,” Danko expressed while comparing infrastructure projects to financial investments. “You have confidence that you’re going to have a return on those investments.”
Hepfner agreed with him; she recalled how much easier it became for her to navigate Calgary once its LRT was constructed.
< p> MP Aslam Rana left; MP John Paul Danko second from left; Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath center; MP Lisa Hepfner second from right; Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria all spoke at..>
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