Another bump in the road for the LRT

Some developers with property along the proposed LRT line are holding their breath and stopping development applications over the uncertainty of the project. The director of economic development made that claim Tuesday night and again at council Wednesday.

Developers have slowed down their plans along the 14 kilometre stretch out of fear that the light rail project won’t happen.

“Some have stopped, but that doesn’t mean they’ve walked away from their projects though. That’s a big difference.” Glen Norton.

While a lot of property has been purchased along the light rail transit route, Norton’s department is seeing few development applications. He adds that the uncertainty for investors isn’t just with council, it’s also with the Premier.

Metrolinx has already purchased over 50% of the properties needed along the route to complete the project but the purchases came to a halt when Ford put a province wide freeze on land acquisition to review projects approved by the former Liberal government.

While the minister of transportation confirmed to CHCH news the LRT will be built, the leader of the opposition notes there’s no date to resume land acquisition.

Over $100 million has already been spent on the billion dollar project but mayor Fred Eisenberger remains confident the LRT will come to fruition.

“If someone was planning on stopping this they would have done it already.”

We are told by the minister of transportation that they will be meeting with mayor Eisenberger next month and that they are trying to come up with the best way to move forward saying they need to make sure the dollars are being invested in the right areas.