Toronto Executive Committee Approves $28.5b Deal for New Transit, Addresses Noise Concerns

Toronto’s executive committee has approved a $28.5 billion deal with the Ontario government that’ll allow the construction of new transit for the city.

The committee also passed a resolution in a meeting on Wednesday to try to alleviate the project's impacts after over 50 people complained about the noise it’ll cause.

The committee’s decision still needs ratification by Toronto council as the agreement involves the Ontario government owning two of the subway lines, the Ontario Line and Line 2 extension.

Another major concern people had was late-night construction on the Ontario Line, planned to be built above ground on existing rail lines.

This poses an issue, especially in residential areas, as construction will only occur when rail lines are closed, which is between 2 and 6 a.m. when most people are sleeping.

Mark Tessaro, a resident of Leslieville and a pediatric emergency physician, suggested a railway noise barrier in the neighbourhood and that the construction of the Ontario Line be underground to reduce the noise pollution created during construction.

“The current plans for the Ontario Line along regional express rail would see the current three tracks extended to six, with trains passing up to every 45 seconds through this neighbourhood with families and children,” Tessaro said. “The decibels would decimate Leslieville. As a pediatrician and parent, I must oppose that level of noise pollution.”

“Installing a noise barrier and putting the Ontario Line underground between Cherry Street and Gerrard Street East would help,” he said. “This is the livable solution to these noise and visual impacts.”

Many people urged that the rail lines go underground to control the construction noise in the Leslieville neighbourhood.

“I am here today to ask you, on behalf of all these households and the rest of our community, to condition the province to put the Ontario Line underground through our neighbourhood,” said Shelley Kline, a member of the Lake Shore east community advisory committee and small business owner in Leslieville.

The people tried to ensure that councillors understood how their decision would affect Toronto residents.

“The decisions that city council takes will affect the lives of Torontonians every single day for decades to come,” said Jana Orac, who also spoke at the meeting.

The committee agreed to have city staff work with Metrolinx to minimize the problems expressed by the people during the meeting.