How are your lungs feeling today? Well, if you live in the west end, things aren’t getting better if Metrolinx goes ahead with plans to run diesel trains from Union Station to Pearson airport.
On Monday, mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone wanted to make sure people know where he stands: against diesel.
He said just that before last night’s debate. “The Trans-Siberian Express is electrified, but Ontario wants to buy diesel trains at $10 million a train. They want to pay a premium for new trains that will be obsolete as soon as they leave the shed.”
It doesn’t help that diesel leaves its mark through pollution. “[residents] deserve clean air, and intact communities. They deserve to benefit from new transit, not be the victims of it,” said Pantalone.
Pantalone also pledged to expand on the Weston stop, create more stops along the route, implement better pedestrian crossings, and make room for a cyclists’ highway.
For what it’s worth, George Smitherman’s camp confirmed “he does believe that the city should press the province to do electric,” and pointed to his signing of the Clean Train Coalition’s Clean Train Pledge. Then again, Sarah Thomson’s and Rocco Rossi’s names are on that list too.
Kudos to Pantalone for making the most sensible policy announcement of the day (it’s definitely no crackpot Rossi scheme to rip a hole under the city and fill it with cars). But the downside is with so many of the other candidates on board the train to electrification, Pantalone simply peddles a smart idea that doesn’t break him from the pack.
