Mississauga City Centre transit loop can be added at any time: Crombie
Published August 19, 2022 at 1:35 pm
Mayor Bonnie Crombie remains optimistic the transport loop linking the City Centre to the Hurontario LRT will become a reality because of its importance to Mississauga’s economic growth.
Speaking to Khaled Iwamura of insauga.com, Crombie said lobbying efforts for the loop remain ongoing and decision makers at the provincial level of government and Metrolinx (the operators of Ontario’s transportation network) understand the need for the project.
Crombie believes it could be a matter of time before funding comes through to get the project back on track.
While Crombie didn’t speak to Premier Doug Ford directly during a recent political conference, she said she made the pitch for the loop to every Ontario cabinet minister she could reach during the sessions.
“They know it is our top priority,” the mayor said. “I am very hopeful. They can add it at any time. I know that Metrolinx has been looking at it. And the Transport Minister (Caroline Mulroney) has been supportive. I think it is just a matter of the finding the right funding package for it.”
The loop, initially included in Hurontario LRT plans to service residents/passengers who live in the high-rises around Square One, was pulled off the table by the Ontario government in a cost-cutting move when Ford’s Conservatives came to power.
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Subsequently, Ford has been non-committal about re-introducing the loop but has suggested developers with major building projects in the works at the City Centre will have to contribute to the costs of the project if it proceeds.
During the insauga.com interview the mayor pressed her case pointing out that 57 towers are planned for downtown which will see the population swell by 40,000 residents and 30,000 new jobs in the next 30 years.
“The loop is really key for us to reach our full economic potential for downtown,” she continued. “It will drive investment, it will drive prosperity. We absolutely need the loop to service the density that will be coming into downtown.”
With the ongoing construction of the LRT along Hurontario St. the mayor believes adding the loop would not be a major construction burden to the project as it was pre-planned.
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