Downtown Relief Line seen as first transit priority

| Filed under: Toronto

Downtown Relief Line seen as first transit priority

Plurality approves of SmartTrack, little personal benefit seen

TORONTO, February 22nd, 2015 - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 807 Toronto voters, the largest single group, close to 3-in-10 say the downtown relief line (DRL) is the city’s most urgent transit priority out of 6 presented, and it is followed by the Scarborough subway (19%), the Eglinton Crosstown (12%) and the SmartTrack rail transit network (11%). Fewer prioritize the Union-Pearson Express (UPX - 8%) or the Finch LRT (5%). A tenth say something else should be built (8%) and a similar proportion don’t offer an opinion (9%). The Scarborough subway is a priority in Scarborough, of course (47%), while the DRL leads in the downtown (43%) and all other municipalities. Doug Ford voters pick the Scarborough subway (39%), while Tory and Chow voters prioritize the DRL (35% and 42%, respectively).

Plurality approves of SmartTrack, little personal benefit seen

Close to one half of voters approve of John Tory’s SmartTrack rail transit plan (44%), while 3-in-10 disapprove (31%). Fully one quarter don’t know enough to have an opinion (25%). Approval is high in the downtown (49%) and East York (56%) and, predictably, among Tory voters (68%), but not among Ford voters (15%). Just fewer than a quarter think SmartTrack will be a benefit to them personally (23%), while 6-in-10 think it will not (59%). Close to one fifth don’t have an opinion. The benefit is seen to be greatest in the city of York (32% - caution: small sample size).

More than half have used St Clair West, majority say it moves well

More than one half of Toronto voters have travelled on St Clair Avenue West in the past year (57%), and, of these, the majority (51%) say that traffic moves “very well” (12%) or “well” (39%). Just more than 4-in-10 say traffic does not move well (42%), and fewer than a tenth have no opinion (7%).

"Despite the fact that the Mayor’s signature SmartTrack plan has the approval of most, the citizens of Toronto still see a downtown relief line for the junction of the Yonge and Bloor lines as the most urgent transit need in the city. And it is interesting to see that the “St Clair Disaster” is rated a success by those who actually use it" said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.