Comment 121345

By jeffzuk (registered) | Posted April 25, 2017 at 08:15:21

Colour me confused. I don't fully buy that the Premier was caught off-guard or that her remarks were consistent with what we've heard from McMeekin, that the $1B investment is for LRT or nothing. It sounds more in line with what some LRT opponents have been saying, that there's room for renegotiation:

[Councillor] Skelly, however, pointed out the premier said in May that "It's never been LRT or nothing," in response to a reporter's questions about political uncertainty in Hamilton.

And yesterday the Spectator's Matthew Van Dongen tweeted this cryptic message:

But @TedMcMeekin now says whether or not Metrolinx/Prov would quickly give away $1 billion if #hamont abandons LRT is "above my pay grade"

Frankly, I was hopeful when I heard Wynne's remarks, as I read it as her signalling there's room for compromise so Hamilton doesn't lose out on a massive investment in public transit – as we might with tomorrow's council vote. But I realize that such last-minute renegotiations — to switch plans to something more politically palatable, like BRT as a possibility — are virtually impossible to achieve. The more likely compromise strategy is to extend the current plan to Eastgate, which seems in motion. Fingers crossed for tomorrow — and the subsequent dozens of existential votes to come…

Comment edited by jeffzuk on 2017-04-25 08:16:17

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