(The London Free Press posted the following article by Maria McClintock on its website on March 27.)
OTTAWA — Ontario Premier Ernie Eves is holding up expansion of the GO train and Via rail lines, two senior Toronto federal cabinet ministers said yesterday.
Transport Minister David Collenette and Industry Minister Allan Rock announced federal officials are prepared to put up $435 million of the $1.2 billion needed to see an expansion of GO train and Via service between Cobourg and London in the east-west corridor and between Toronto and Peterborough and Barrie.
But the pair said the rail mega-project can’t proceed without matching cash from Ontario, and accused the province of failing to commit.
“We need the government of Ontario to come to the table and make a similar commitment so that this $1.2-billion investment can happen,” Rock said.
“We know that the municipalities affected will be there with their contributions, but we don’t yet know about the government of Ontario.”
Provincial officials said yesterday they were “speechless” after learning of Ottawa’s late-afternoon allegations.
One official at Queen’s Park said its share of the cash is ready and waiting and the feds have known it for weeks.
That source said Ottawa and the province long ago agreed to the funding deal and have simply been trying to find a time when Chretien and Eves could announce the cash together.
Collenette said in the next few days he’ll also be announcing new funding for Via service to Niagara Falls, a new train station for Hamilton and additional service to Brantford and London during peak hours.
The crown jewel of the project will be the long-awaited rail link between downtown Toronto and Pearson International Airport.
“By announcing the $435 million . . . we will also be able to facilitate the building of a rail link to Pearson airport . . . where traffic is projected to increase to 50-55 million people within to 10 to 15 years,” Collenette said.
Collenette said he’ll present proposals for the airport rail link within the next few weeks. He said four companies are interested in the project.