Prioritize DRL over Scarborough Subway – majority
One half want subway decision reopened
TORONTO AUGUST
2nd - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 892 Toronto
voters, the majority, 6-in-10, want the Downtown Relief Line (DRL) built before
the Scarborough Subway (61%), where just more than a quarter opt for the
Scarborough project (28%). One twentieth think neither should be built first
(6%) or don’t have an opinion (5%). It is only in Scarborough itself that a
majority of voters want the subway prioritized (52%), although as many as one
third want a DRL (35%).Doug Ford mayoral voters are more enthusiastic about a
Scarborough subway (44%) than are Tory (23%) or Chow voters (18%).
One half want Scarborough subway decision reopened
One half of Toronto voters want council to reconsider the
decision to build the Scarborough subway (48%), while one third disagree (34%).
As many as one fifth don’t know (18%). Wanting the decision reopened is common
to mid age groups (45 to 54 - 54%), Chow voters (60%) and, surprisingly, in
Scarborough (58%).
Scarborough needs subway, not LRT – plurality
The plurality of Toronto voters say Scarborough’s transit
needs are best met with a subway (44%), rather than an LRT (39%), while about
one tenth think neither is the answer (7%) or don’t know (9%). The subway
choice is especially popular among males (49%), the less wealthy ($20K to $60K
- 50%), among Doug Ford voters (72%), in North York (53%) and, to a lesser
extent, in Scarborough (50%).
“It’s clear the
city as a whole sees the need to unburden the spine of our transit network, the
Yonge-University line, while residents of Scarborough want to see the promise
of their subway fulfilled. Despite this, many Scarborough residents want to see
the subway decision reopened by council, but I doubt it is because they want it
cancelled," 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.
