Poll says Torontonians prefer LRT to subway
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
According to Leger, The Research Intelligence Group, who did an independent survey recently, the majority of polled Toronto residents want to build a seven-stop light-rail transit (LRT) line in Scarborough rather than a three-stop subway extension. The poll question did mention that a subway option would mean a CA$1-billion (US$903-million) tax increase over 30 years.
As part of its regular sampling of opinion on key public policy issues, Leger asked Torontonians aged 18 and older who are eligible to vote to evaluate the LRT and subway options for Scarborough, including their cost, property tax impact, accessibility to transit users and projected dates of completion.
Key findings of the survey include:
• Among voters expressing a position, 61 percent say they support the LRT line to provide improved public transit service to Scarborough, while 39 percent support a subway extension.
• Voters in Scarborough prefer an LRT over a subway for their own part of the city by 56 percent to 44 percent.
• The strongest support for the LRT option is found in the former city of Toronto at 75 percent, York (68 percent) and East York (67 percent).
• The strongest support for building a subway extension in Scarborough comes from voters in North York, who are split 50-50 on which transit option is best for Scarborough.
The findings indicate a change in voters’ views from January 2011, when a Leger survey of Torontonians found 52 percent chose building subways over building light rail. That question was not specifically about which option is best for Scarborough and did not mention that building a subway extension in Scarborough would mean a CA$1-billion (US$ 903-million) tax increase for all Toronto taxpayers.
