Stefan Caunter

If you look at any reasonably planned and executed metro system in any world city, the underground rail gets people around the downtown. There are subway stops everywhere, at the major intersections. Toronto is a lovely little city but only because you can walk most of it. Its leaders have failed its people for generations since the original subway and expressways went in. There should be lines under King, Queen, Dundas, College, Bathurst (going to the Island Airport), Spadina and Church. There should have been an extension to York, and to Pearson, years ago.
But there’s no local representation in Ontario. There are arbitrary boundaries built for convenience 20 years ago. This stuff will happen for as long as this is true. A specific area will pull ridiculous attention as a swing riding/ward and get all kinds of promises. That’s what happens. That’s why Lastman got his idiotic Sheppard line through his friend’s neighbourhoods. It’s why there is consensus funding for another colossal mistake of a subway to nowhere, right in the middle of a (largely sane) debate about what to do about transit.
Scarborough is 30 km away from downtown. It’s not the “city” in anyone’s mind except election boundary drawings. But it’s not this that makes you think. There are current subway projects, and none of them are downtown.
Apparently, one is mostly done to York University, although it’s years from opening. There is one going up to Vaughan I think. I don’t really know, as it’s about as relevant to me as one in Scarborough will be to anyone who ever visits Toronto.
Apart from the obvious places downtown that should have subway stops, a quick look at a map shows that Downsview Park makes more sense for a subway. Pearson Airport. Annette and the Junction, which is a terrible area in which to get around. The Beach Kingston road would be perfect for another horrible area for transit. Subway to the Islands (Berlin is doing this). Dufferin. Jane. Pape.
For the past 50 years, leaders that people elect have failed to do this. It’s the people’s fault for putting up with it. Those leaders were failures. David Crombie. John Sewell. David Miller. Bill Davis. David Peterson. Easier to get elected than to actually build something for the people.