Tag: funding

Categories
Funding Subways Transit Yonge North Subway Extension

Celebrating the YNSE funding commitment

The expression “where there is a will, there is a way” might as well be talking about the Yonge North Subway Extension [YNSE], because this project has been York Region’s top transit priority for two decades. Here at YRRTC, we were thrilled to hear the announcement last month that the Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the YNSE, as part of a larger investment for four GTA transit projects.  

The YRRTC Board, led by Board Chair and Markham Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, and Chairman and CEO of York Region, Wayne Emmerson have championed this project, most recently collecting signatures on symbolic shovels, and ensuring the 905 & 416 voices were heard at the federal table with respect to this critically important piece of infrastructure.

We’re happy to see that the federal government recognizes the fact that the YNSE and other transit systems are key economic drivers, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in economic benefits, starting from the planning stage all the way through construction and operation. 

Here at YRRTC, we’ve spent years advocating for the YNSE as well as other rapid transit needed to accommodate York Region’s future growth.  We know there are many more steps ahead to get this subway planned, designed, and built. Big subway projects like this can take 10 years to construct, and in this case every level of government is involved, and the project crosses regional and municipal boundaries. There is a will to build the YNSE though, and with the recent Provincial, Federal and Municipal funding commitments, now there is a way.

One day in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be celebrating the first subway ride along the Yonge North Subway Extension. Until then, there is lots of work to do to plan and design a subway project that works for everyone.

Metrolinx is the project manager for the YNSE and provides information at metrolinx.com. Find other related YNSE materials on YRRTC’s website, vivanext.com/YongeSubwayExt.

Categories
Subways

because it can’t wait

because it can't wait

If you’ve been following the conversations about transit projects in the media recently, you’ve probably heard some of the debate around which project should be built first. We’ve been following the debates too, and we’ve come to the conclusion that the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area [GTHA] needs as much transit as possible.

The Yonge Subway Extension [YSE] has been in York Region’s Transportation Master Plan since 1994, and here at YRRTC we’ve been working on moving it forward since we became a corporation in 2003. We of course support the YSE being built, but it’s not just a matter of one project. It’s a connected network. It’s commuters crossing municipal boundaries. And it’s important that it all come together in the next decade or so.

Why? Well partially it’s because there hasn’t been enough transit built in the past 50 years and we need to catch up a bit. And we also need to keep up with the growth to ensure the number of people, businesses, jobs and housing continue to grow in York Region and the GTHA.

  • York Region is expected to grow from 1.2 million residents to 1.5 million by 2031
  • York Region has 51,000 businesses, and together with the Toronto provides 2 million jobs – equal to about 11% of Canada’s labour force
  • York Region has an average of 13,000 new jobs every year, and over the last five years, our workforce has grown at 3.1% on average, surpassing growth rates in the nation, province and GTA
  • In the southern part of York Region, Markham and Vaughan are two of the GTA’s four employment “Megazones” and together with Pearson airport these zones have more jobs than Downtown Toronto
  • Toronto residents make over 189,700 trips per work day to York Region, and even more trips are southbound, supplying employees and customers to help Toronto’s businesses thrive

TTC’s Line 1 is currently over capacity during peak hours. There are capacity improvements required that will help with this, like the Line 1 extension to Vaughan [opened in 2017], TTC’s automatic train controls, new signals, six-car trains, and Go Expansion/SmartTrack. Large infrastructure projects like the Yonge Subway Extension can take 10 years to complete, so the YSE can be built in parallel with the capacity improvements in the next 10 years.

Building the YSE will help reduce traffic congestion – eliminating the almost 2,500 bus trips per workday on Yonge Street between Highway 7 and Finch Station, and giving commuters who drive between Toronto and York Region the chance to get out of traffic.

So which projects should be built first, and which should wait? We need as much transit as possible, so let’s consider all options, and try our very best to get the GTHA moving. Because it can’t wait.

Categories
Rapidways Subways

more to come

#MoreToCome

The warmer weather is bringing thoughts of new growth, and change. York Region has seen a lot of change in recent years. Along with our growing population, and increasing number of businesses and jobs, changes to our streets and infrastructure have brought about new choices.

Some of our funded rapidway projects are already constructed and open for service, bringing new options in how to travel, to Highway 7 East in Markham and Richmond Hill, Davis Drive in Newmarket, and Highway 7 West in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. In Vaughan, connections to subway make transit even more of an option to travel across the GTA.

Transit is transforming our city centres, and there are even more projects on the horizon:

  • The Yonge Subway Extension – York Region’s number one transit priority – has preliminary design and engineering underway and is ready to move to full engineering and construction once full capital funding is committed. For more information about this 5-station, 7.4 km extension from Finch to Highway 7, visit vivanext.com/project_YongeSubway
  • The next phase of bus rapid transit includes over 75 km of new dedicated lanes for Viva, along Yonge Street, Highway 7 East and West, Jane Street, Major Mackenzie Drive and Leslie Street. Most of the Environmental Assessments are complete for these projects, and we’re ready to move to preliminary engineering, design and construction once they receive capital funding. For a map of the unfunded rapid transit projects in York Region, click here.

With investments in transit and infrastructure, York Region’s continued growth will be “smart growth.” The new options this brings will paint a bright future, of new opportunities, experiences and destinations for residents and visitors alike!

 

Categories
Announcements General

introducing our new board members

introducing our new board members

For those of you who have been riding along with us on this transit journey, we are excited to update you on our award-winning rapid transit initiatives as we begin 2015 and new stages of construction. This is an exceptionally exciting time for transit in Ontario, and in York Region. Over the next five years, we will be completing $3.2 billion of infrastructure, including rapidways in Newmarket, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, a state-of-the-art Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility and more. We remain dedicated to building transit options that complement the future of York Region, knowing that everyone shares the benefits of these successes.

How do we do it? Here’s a bit of information about the governance structure and make-up of York Region Rapid Transit Corporation [YRRTC] and how we operate to deliver vivaNext plans. First, YRRTC is a 100% share capital corporation owned by York Region. Our rapidway projects are funded by Metrolinx [an agency of the provincial government], and our facilities and terminals are funded from a combination of federal, provincial and regional government sources. Our governance structure is well established through formal documents and legal agreements between YRRTC, York Region, the provincial government, the federal government and Metrolinx. These legal documents set the framework for how we work together and list the conditions of our funding.

YRRTC reports monthly to a board of directors – seven Mayors and Regional Councillors from Markham, Richmond Hill, Newmarket and Vaughan. Once appointed, they elected a Board Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and CEO. We welcome the new and returning board members:

Chairman - Frank Scarpitti, Mayor of the City of Markham Chairman
Frank Scarpitti
Mayor of the City of Markham
Vice-Chairman - Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor of the City of Vaughan Vice-Chairman
Maurizio Bevilacqua
Mayor of the City of Vaughan
Director and YRRTC CEO - Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO of The Regional Municipality of York Director and YRRTC CEO
Wayne Emmerson
Chairman and CEO of The Regional Municipality of York
Director - Dave Barrow, Mayor of the Town of Richmond Hill Director
Dave Barrow
Mayor of the Town of Richmond Hill
Director - Tony Van Bynen, Mayor of the Town of Newmarket Director
Tony Van Bynen
Mayor of the Town of Newmarket
Director - Jim Jones, City of Markham Regional Councillor Director
Jim Jones
Regional Councillor, City of Markham
Director - Vito Spatafora, City of Vaughan Regional Councillor/Deputy Mayor Director
Vito Spatafora
Regional Councillor/Deputy Mayor, Town of Richmond Hill

 

Through monthly reports and other regular reporting tools such as business plans and annual reports, we seek direction from the board and keep them informed of project progress. These documents can be found in our website Document Library.

It’s complex, with multiple levels of government and representatives from different municipalities, but it’s a clean mission to collectively deliver rapid transit. And together we can continue to deliver these beneficial infrastructure projects to your community and ensure all needs and issues are addressed quickly and openly.