It's time for Council and the Province to commit to Light Rail Transit in Hamilton.

Light Rail Transit on the east-west B-Line is a tremendous, once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Hamilton into a thriving, economically diverse centre.

We call on Council to make LRT a top priority for completion as soon as reasonably possible.

The City did a feasibility study in 2008 that recommended to build LRT, move quickly, and start with the east-west B-Line. In response, Council unanimously directed staff to proceed with "the functional design, detail design and construction of the B-line rapid transit corridor ... utilizing Light Rail Technology."

Conceptual image of LRT in Hamilton. Image Credit: City of Hamilton.

We call on the Province to keep their promise to build LRT.

The Province recognized that rapid transit will transform the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The 2007 Liberal re-election campaign even promised "two light rail lines across Hamilton".

In 2010, a Benefits Case Analysis by Metrolinx concluded that LRT on the east-west B-Line would provide a much bigger overall benefit - economically, socially and environmentally - than bus rapid transit.

The Province even gave Hamilton $3 million to complete the required Environmental Assessment on the LRT line.

No more mixed signals.

After three years of detailed design work, suddenly the Province and the Mayor's office are saying we need to complete a "feasibility study" on LRT before they can make any commitments. We already did this and concluded LRT is the right way to go.

Then, starting early this summer, the Mayor made a series of disparaging public remarks about LRT. In late August, he said LRT "is not a priority" and would only make sense "if somehow a million people move to Hamilton over the next five years".

It is no longer clear how strongly the City supports LRT.

Meanwhile, Premier Dalton McGuinty recently told the Hamilton Spectator that all-day GO train service "was the No. 1 ask of the city. We've had some important conversations with the mayor, and this is their priority, which made it our priority. Over time, we can enter into other discussions about things like the LRT."

It's time to move forward.

Council needs to take control of LRT planning and make it a priority again. The Province needs to indicate that they will keep their promise to fund its construction.

It's time for Hamiltonians to remind the City and the Province that we believe - as the City's and the Province's studies have confirmed - that LRT is the right decision.

Now it's time for the City and the Province to finish the job of building LRT.

Please help us run a constructive civic campaign by refraining from the use of personal insults and derogatory language when submitting a statement. This is a tremendously positive opportunity for Hamilton: please focus on the positive.