Item - 2024.MM22.8

Tracking Status

City Council adopted this item on October 9, 2024 with amendments.

MM22.8 - Trains Not Tunnels - Alternatives to the 401 Tunnel - by Councillor Mike Colle, seconded by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie

Decision Type:: ACTION

Status:: Amended

Wards:: All

City Council Decision

City Council on October 9 and10, 2024, adopted the following:

1. City Council request the Province of Ontario to consider the feasibility of a high speed rail system instead of the disruptive and costly tunneling under Highway 401 running through the middle of Toronto.

2. City Council request the Minister of Transportation to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for the construction of a high speed rail system that would potentially connect cities like Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston, and Montreal – increasing the frequency of trains and significantly reducing travel times for Ontarians and reducing congestion.

3. City Council direct the City Manager to provide a briefing note on the costs (in present day value) and timeframe of similar tunnelling projects, including the “Big Dig” in Boston and the State Route 99 in Seattle.

4. City Council request the Government of Ontario to explore the feasibility of buying back the 407 Express Toll Route instead of building a tunnel under the 401.

Background Information (City Council)

Revised Member Motion MM22.8
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-249147.pdf

Communications (City Council)

(October 8, 2024) Letter from Geoff Kettel and Cathie Macdonald, Co-Chairs, Federation of North Toronto Residents' Associations (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-183592.pdf

Motions (City Council)

Motion to Waive Referral (Carried)

Speaker Nunziata advised Council that the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, require that Motion MM22.8 be referred to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. A two-thirds vote of the Council Members present is required to waive referral.

Vote (Waive Referral) Oct-10-2024 2:26 PM

Result: Carried	Two-Thirds Required - MM22.8 - Waive referral
Total members that voted Yes: 19	Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Alejandra Bravo, Shelley Carroll, Lily Cheng, Olivia Chow, Mike Colle, Paula Fletcher, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Jamaal Myers, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Dianne Saxe
Total members that voted No: 5	Members that voted No are Brad Bradford, Jon Burnside, Vincent Crisanti, Stephen Holyday, James Pasternak
Total members that were Absent: 1	Members that were absent are Michael Thompson

1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Carried)

That:

1. City Council delete Recommendation 3:

Recommendation to be deleted:

3. City Council direct the City Manager to estimate the possible costs of tunneling under the 401, using examples such as the “Big Dig” in Boston and the State Route 99 in Seattle to inform their calculation.

and adopt instead the following:

Vote (Amend Item) Oct-10-2024 8:25 PM

Result: Carried	Majority Required - MM22.8 - McKelvie - motion 1
Total members that voted Yes: 18	Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Alejandra Bravo, Jon Burnside, Shelley Carroll, Lily Cheng, Mike Colle, Paula Fletcher, Parthi Kandavel, Ausma Malik, Nick Mantas, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Chris Moise, Amber Morley, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza
Total members that voted No: 1	Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday
Total members that were Absent: 6	Members that were absent are Brad Bradford, Olivia Chow, Vincent Crisanti, Jamaal Myers, Dianne Saxe, Michael Thompson

2 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Mike Colle (Carried)