NDP Transportation critic Gilles Bisson called on the McGuinty Liberals to come clean on their plan for the proposed Blue 22 air-rail link between Union Station and Pearson Airport.

“Decisions like this shouldn’t be made under the radar and in the backroom. The people of York South-Weston have been very clear – they do not want the privately-run, publicly-subsidized Blue 22 air-rail link. Why is an anonymous ‘government source’ telling the citizens of York South-Weston that construction may start in early 2009?” Bisson asked.

Bisson was responding to a news report that the McGuinty government is already going ahead with details of the Blue 22 air-rail link, even before releasing the details of the environmental assessment.

In May 2007, former NDP MPP Paul Ferreira introduced a resolution that received all party support, called on the McGuinty Liberals to: “Increase access to public GO Transit service to all communities served by the Georgetown south rail corridor; Revive the previous GO Transit expansion environmental assessment requiring only one additional track to expand GO service on the Georgetown south rail corridor; and Separate all GO Transit aspects of the current Georgetown south rail corridor environmental assessment from all aspects of the private, high-speed, air-rail link Blue 22 environmental assessment” (Hansard May 17, 2007).

“The McGuinty government should announce the details of the environmental assessment, and invite community members to the table immediately,” Bisson said.

Bisson also echoed Weston Community Coalition’s call for expansion of the GO Transit service and a full environmental assessment, considering all possibilities for a publicly owned and operated air-rail link to Pearson International Airport.

“New Democrats recognize the social, economic and environmental impacts of the proposed Blue 22 air-rail link are bad for the community and the wrong answer to the city’s airport transit needs. We urge the McGuinty Liberals to move swiftly and demonstrate real commitment to public transit,” said Bisson.