Doug Ford looks to fund subways with Build Toronto
Revenue from city's real-estate wing will pay for new subway lines, says mayoral hopeful
Doug Ford wants to use revenue generated by Build Toronto, the city's real-estate and development corporation, to help fund subway expansion.
The city councillor-turned-mayoral candidate told reporters he would, if elected, put "the vast majority" of the corporation's $540 million into his plan to build 32 kilometres of new subways.
"We have to put this into infrastructure and building subways," Ford told reporters on Thursday, following a meeting with the Build Toronto board of directors.
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Ford said his time on the city's budget committee, on which he has served since he was first elected in 2010, has given him the experience to handle the project.
"I have the experience. I've been here four years. I've been vice-chair of the budget committee for four years, watching every penny," he said. "I've been on endless committees watching all the purchases."
Ford took over the mayoral bid of his ailing brother, Mayor Rob Ford, two weeks ago. Both Fords have been vocal proponents of subway expansion across the city, in contrast to mayoral hopeful Olivia Chow who favours LRTs and buses.
Front-runner John Tory says he wants to build the planned four-stop subway in Scarborough, and to use existing GO railways to create commuter trains.
Experience has become a hot issue between Tory and Ford in the increasingly acrimonious race for city hall. Ford has attacked Tory's lack of experience in city politics, while Tory has dismissed the criticisms as "bullying" and name-calling.
The election is on Oct. 27.
