What to know
- Olivia Chow has pledged to direct 20 per cent of Scarborough East LRT construction jobs to local residents, with a focus on youth, and set a target for local youth aged 18 to 35 to fill 15 per cent of apprenticeships.
- Her campaign also promises $28 million for violence prevention, mentorship and employment programs, alongside 15,000 new youth jobs through the Toronto Youth Employment Strategy.
- Brad Bradford’s campaign criticized the proposal, questioning the transit project’s funding and accusing Chow of overstating her youth employment commitments.
- Scarborough remains a key battleground in the mayoral race, with a Liaison Strategies poll released Oct. 13 showing Bradford at 50 per cent support and Chow at 47 per cent in the area.
With just over a week until Toronto’s municipal election, Olivia Chow is pledging more local job opportunities for Scarborough youth through the Scarborough East LRT, as mayoral rival Brad Bradford questions the project’s funding and her employment commitments.
Chow made the announcement in Scarborough on Thursday, saying the city must ensure young people in the area can access good jobs as new infrastructure projects move forward.
“The City is building new infrastructure, through which we can create opportunities to hire local young people and workers,” Chow’s campaign said in a media release.
The proposal includes ensuring Scarborough youth can access jobs associated with building the Scarborough East LRT, which Chow says will have shovels in the ground by the end of her first term if re-elected.
“Now that we’re building the Scarborough East LRT, the young people who live here should be the ones getting the jobs,” Chow said. “A good first job, a paid apprenticeship, a path to a real career: that’s how we give young people a future in their own neighbourhood.”
Under the plan, 20 per cent of construction jobs on the Scarborough East LRT project would go to local residents, with a focus on youth. The proposal also sets a target for local youth aged 18 to 35 to make up 15 per cent of apprentices working on the project.
Chow’s campaign says these commitments would be double the local hiring commitments made for the Finch West and Eglinton Crosstown LRT projects.
The proposal also includes a $28-million investment in violence prevention programs, mentorship and employment opportunities, as well as a commitment to create 15,000 new youth jobs through the Toronto Youth Employment Strategy in partnership with United Way.
Bradford criticizes Chow’s jobs pledge
Bradford’s campaign quickly criticized the announcement, accusing the incumbent mayor of running out of ideas.
“She promised young people jobs on a transit line she has failed to budget for,” Bradford’s campaign said in a news release.
The campaign claimed the Scarborough East LRT remained at the 10 per cent design stage throughout Chow’s term as mayor and said she did not identify the project as a priority until April. It also accused her of prioritizing other rapid transit projects across the city.
“Today she stood in front of young people and promised them jobs building that line. What she didn’t tell them is that she hasn’t done the hard work of securing a dollar of provincial or federal funding for it,” the campaign said.
Bradford’s campaign also accused Chow of attempting to “pass off” his own campaign promise to create 15,000 permanent, full-time jobs for youth.
“The Mayor hasn’t said whether summer jobs or short-term internships count toward her number. Until she does, it’s an exaggeration, not a commitment,” the campaign said.
Scarborough emerges as key battleground
Scarborough has become a crucial battleground in the mayoral race, with both candidates repeatedly pledging to fund and build the Scarborough East LRT, with construction set to begin by the end of their first term if elected.
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A recent poll by Liaison Strategies, released on Oct. 13, put Bradford ahead in Scarborough with 50 per cent support, while Chow followed closely behind at 47 per cent.
Toronto’s municipal election will take place on Oct. 26.
