Six proposed 'SmartTrack' stations to be debated by the city's executive committee

Mayor Tory’s “SmartTrack” plan could take another step forward today as the city’s executive committee debates the proposed station concepts for its six planned stops.

A report that was released last week asks council to endorse the concepts for six “SmartTrack” stops and authorize staff to complete the design work on the stations and begin working in partnership with Metrolinx to address stations-specific design elements, such as access points for pedestrians and connections with existing and planned transit lines.

The report also asks council to approve the design concept for a 10-stop light rail line along Eglinton Avenue West between Mount Dennis Station and Renforth Station.

“When I was elected I campaigned on building SmartTrack, which was developed from a simple fact. That is that there are major rail corridors that run through the City of Toronto that are not being used to move Toronto residents around in their own city,” Tory told reporters on Tuesday morning. “We have these rail lines that are being used principally to move people around from other parts of the region and I don’t have a problem with that but I think there are ways that we can utilize those rail corridors to give people greater choice and greater convenience when it comes to transit.”

Tory’s initial plan for “SmartTrack” -- first floated during the 2014 mayoral election campaign -- called for 13 new rapid transit stops as well as a heavy rail line along Eglinton Avenue West.

The plan that is now being developed includes six new stations, which will be serviced by GO trains but paid for by the City of Toronto, as well a 10-stop extension of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Line (LRT).

Staff are proposing that the LRT extension be built entirely at-grade, however Tory said that he will ask executive committee to support a motion directing staff to take a further look at using tunneling or grade-separations in certain parts of Etobicoke.

Tory said he decided to make the request after speaking with community members who were “virtually unanimous” in their belief that the city should consider tunneling segments of the LRT.

“I respect the fact that staff have said what they have said but I have no hesitation in taking what the public has said and asking our staff to report further on it,” he said. “That is what we are here to do. To represent the public and make sure that our staff and the experts take a look at what the public wants us to look at.”

The six proposed “SmartTrack” stops would be located on GO Transit’s Kitchener, Lakeshore East and Stouffville lines.

Though Tory has repeatedly called for commuters using the new stations to be charged a TTC fare, that point will be subject to negotiation with Metrolinx, which will operate the trains servicing the stations.

It should also be noted that one of the six stations, planned for Lawrence Avenue East near Kennedy Road, remains the subject of a Metrolinx review.

That review was launched after the release of an internal report, which revealed that Metrolinx staff initially said that the station should not be built but proceeded with planning after the office of Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca intervened.

The city’s share of the “SmartTrack” project cost is estimated at about $1.3 billion.