City Councillors euphoric at deal struck to give Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway to province | CBC News

Toronto councillors are celebrating the loss of two major highways from the city’s care following Monday’s announcement that the province would be “uploading” the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) and the Gardiner Expressway. 

The deal is an outcome of the New-Deal Working Group, which was initially formed in September with the aim of achieving long-term stability and sustainability for Toronto’s books. The recent move helped unify Toronto councillors, who praised Mayor Olivia Chow and Premier Doug Ford.

“I’m euphoric that he’s seen the light,” Eglinton-Lawrence Councillor Mike Colle told CBC Toronto, referring to the premier shifting his position after stating he would not take over the two highways as recently as this spring in the leadup to the mayoral byelection.

“If Toronto is able to thrive, so will the province thrive … I think he’s come to that realization,” said Colle.

“Whoever has worked with Olivia Chow knows that there’s no such thing as ‘No,'” said Parkdale-High Park Coun. Gord Perks. “This is a testament to a different kind of approach in municipal-provincial relationships.”

City councillors and the city had repeatedly said a $1.5 billion budget hole was leaving the city hamstrung as it looked to its upcoming budget — something made tougher by costs associated with the highways.

Last year, city staff estimated annual maintenance costs for the two major highways adds up to about $16 million per year, while $2.2 billion has been budgeted for the rehabilitation of the Gardiner.

Ford said in Monday’s press conference that the province will provide Toronto up to $7.6 billion in capital relief by uploading the two highways. The province also committed to provide operating and capital support for these highways in 2024, while a “due diligence process” is underway.

“By uploading the Gardiner and DVP, the city will be able to spend billions more on affordable housing, fixing transit and building communities,” Chow said. 

Lindsay Broadhead, chief communications officer for the city, told CBC Toronto that staff are “studying the implications” the move will have on the upcoming operating budget and 10-year capital plan, which have a $1.5 billion and $46.5 billion shortfall, respectively. 

Councillors watching ‘due diligence’ process closely

CBC Toronto reached out to all of Toronto council to respond to the news. All who spoke to CBC were glad to see the deal. 

The province was not available to confirm further details about the take-over Monday afternoon beyond what was shared at the press conference.

York Centre Coun. James Pasternak, who moved a motion calling on the province to upload the highways in September, said the upload was “long overdue,” with any concerns he has overshadowed by the benefits. 

“At the end of the day, we are giving up something, we’re giving up control. But … it’s a good thing,” he said.

“We were able to use some of the land underneath the highway for public realm projects — we may not have that authority anymore.”

The city also has the authority to reconfigure the highway, but won’t once it’s uploaded.

“The downside is we lose control over the future of the Gardiner,” said Pasternak. 

University-Rosedale Coun. Dianne Saxe says she fears the Gardiner renovation project will take longer under the province’s watch, given the trajectory of other projects, like the Eglinton Crosstown.

“They can take a lot longer and cost a lot more than if the city had done [it] itself. But as long as the province is paying for it, it is a burden off the city,” she said.

She says she will also be watching the way the province handles environmental issues associated with the highways closely, including dirty water coming off the highways.

Toronto Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher says she’s glad the province said it will take over construction costs. She sees the take-over as an opportunity to re-think the controversial decision to invest more into the expense Gardiner renovation project.”

“It has been very, very controversial and upsetting to many people because it’s taking so long … but that’s not my decision to make now, that’s the premier’s.”

Gardiner rehabilitation debates no more at City Hall

On the opposite end, Beaches-East York Coun. Brad Bradford said in a statement he believes Gardiner rebuild plans can now move ahead with less debate. 

“We will be able to move forward with critical housing projects, rather than wasting years re-opening old decisions and trying to tear down the Gardiner,” he said.

Scarborough-Rouge Park Councillor Jennifer McKelvie says the city no longer needing to pay annual highway maintenance costs for the two highways is worth a celebration.

“We plow it, we clean it, we fill the potholes, so this whole lot of operations on an annual basis as well…it’s the order of 16 million plus annually.”

Etobicoke-Centre Coun. Stephen Holyday says he hopes the decision means the pattern of temporary closures of the Gardiner will cease.

“Hopefully, the province will run it like the highway that it is, and not close it down for periods of time for things like maintenance or events,” he said.