CLEAN AIR COALITION PROTEST! FEBRUARY 18TH

Metrolinx says that electric trains are superior but….
McGuinty Liberals are planning to buy more diesels!


With the railway tracks lying right at the edge and cutting through our community, this is an issue you might want to make yourself heard on. Is it as simple a case of Electrification (quieter, cheaper to run, less polluting) & Diesels (noisier, more polluting). And should the Ont. Government be buying diesel trains just to help facilitate a 2 week sporting event. If you are on the side of Electrification (as is Metrolinx) make your voice heard this Friday! The Clean Air Coalition are holding at demonstration on February 18th demonstration outside Metrolinx Headquarters at 20 Bay Street starting at 8:30a.m.

From the Clean Air Coalition's Press Release:

On January 26, 2011, the Metrolinx Board of Directors announced there are “important transportation benefits associated with electrification… These benefits include shorter travel times for riders and lower operating costs.”

Despite the proven superiority of electric trains, the McGuinty Liberals are pushing ahead with plans to buy diesels for a rail link to Pearson Airport - plans to be approved by Metrolinx on February 18th. We will be there demonstrating our opposition to more diesels, and calling on the Province to build it right as electric from the start.

The Liberals believe purchasing diesel trains is necessary to have the line ready for the 2015 Pan Am Games – a two week sporting event which will see athletes commute to and from the airport, not on the rail link, but on special buses for the Pan Am Games.

Inflicting Torontonians with diesel air and noise pollution for the foreseeable future, all for the sake of a two week sporting event is absurd public policy.

To date the Ontario Liberal government has only committed to review an environmental study of the proposal for a future changeover of the Air Rail Link to electric, but has NOT committed to the electrification project itself. Metrolinx says that converting the about-to-be-purchased diesel trains to electric at a later date will cost an additional $400 million of scarce tax dollars, if any commitment for conversion ever becomes a reality.

Liberal MPPs who serve the Air Rail Link corridor communities have not changed their government’s plan. Tony Ruprecht and Laura Albanese have been ineffective in this fight. Shafiq Qaadri has not engaged at all. They run the risk of losing their seats in the October provincial election because of it.

The McGuinty Liberals must put the well-being of Ontario citizens and fiscal prudence first. They must NOT BUY MORE DIESEL LOCOMOTIVES.

Electric trains are faster, more economical, cleaner and quieter.
They do not require a massive concrete “noise” wall that will further divide our communities.
They can be better integrated with local transit with more stops

Please support upcoming campaign events! On Friday February 18th Clean Train Coalition is holding a demonstration in front of Metrolinx Headquarters 20 Bay Street (walk south from Union Station) starting at 8:30 am.


Visit cleantrain.ca, get more information and get on the campaign email list.