Task force to include LiUNA, the union crunching its own Hamilton LRT numbers

LiUNA, a pro-LRT union, is on the province's task force deciding how $1 billion will be spent on transportation in Hamilton.

The Laborers' International Union of North America, which would have represented about 5,000 workers on the light rail transit project, confirmed Wednesday that its director of government relations has been named to the task force.

Anthony Primerano will be one of the five members to decide how to spend $1 billion in "transportation projects," which could be LRT, bus rapid transit or other options. The other four members haven't been formally announced, but the city has said its manager Janette Smith has been in talks to join.

LiUNA blasted the province last month after Transportation Ministry Caroline Mulroney cancelled $1 billion in capital funding for Hamilton's LRT project. The union has been friendly with Premier Doug Ford, and endorsed Ford in the last provincial election.

Mulroney said costs had ballooned in Hamilton's project, estimating operating and maintenance costs over 30 years, as well as capital costs, to total $5.6 billion. The original estimate of $1 billion, however, was only the capital cost of building LRT, and LiUNA and Mayor Fred Eisenberger said the new number seems inflated.

Joseph Mancinelli, international vice president, said last month that LiUNA was using its investment arm, contractors and engineering firms to crunch numbers to challenge the province's estimate. Early estimates, Mancinelli said in a Jan. 7 statement, show "the government inflated their cost as high as possible to manipulate a bias in order to cancel the project."

The province hasn't announced the task force appointees, only saying it would "have more to say in the near future." Four will be provincial appointees, and one will represent the city. Eisenberger said he hasn't received a final word on the task force membership either.

LiUNA participating would be "good news for the city," even if the task force isn't full of LRT advocates, Eisenberger said.

"I am optimistic [LRT] can be revived in any event," he said. With millions spent already, "I'm convinced that sensible, reasonable people will come to the conclusion that this is the best investment the province can make."

Brad Clark, a Ward 9 (upper Stoney Creek) councillor who's not a fan of LRT, said council should be proactively suggesting options to the task force.

"I'm astounded that [the province is] not asking council," he said at a general issues committee meeting Wednesday. "And candidly, I'm astounded council isn't taking the initiative to provide what it wants $1 billion to be spent on."

Minister says there's 'conversation' about project

Eisenberger met with Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance, Mona Fortier, Thursday when she was in Hamilton. The pair discussed "current issues, from affordable housing to transit," he tweeted.

Fortier also sat down with Hamilton community members for a pre-budget consultation at Mohawk College.

She said affordable housing and LRT came up during both discussions, and noted the federal government wants to support cities seeking public transit.

Fortier said Hamilton-area Liberal MPs Bob Bratina and Filomena Tassi have raised concerns at the federal level about LRT.

But, she said, although there is ongoing "conversation," the city has not made an official request to the federal government for funding.

"We'll have to see how the federal government could participate, but at this time the conversation is more of a dialogue that we're having," said Fortier.

"I believe it's more important right now that the City of Hamilton raises its concerns to the government of Ontario who has some possibility of funding."