LRT vote delayed again, councillors insist they aren't trying to kill it

Hamilton city councillors have delayed a crucial LRT vote for another week, but those who wanted the deferral insist it's not a bid to kill the project. They say it's a week longer to see if the system can be extended toEastgateSquare.

I can't imagine, and don't want to imagine, the motive behind putting this off another week.- Coun. Jason Farr

But project proponents on council aren't so sure that is their real motive.

Councillors were supposed to vote on an updated design plan Wednesday. It was the second such meeting that lasted more than 13 hours. Now they'll vote at the April 26 council meeting.

Terry Whitehead, who moved the deferral, insists he was trying to save the project, not kill it. Councillors have more questions, he said, and it's too hard to make such adifficult decision after 13 hours. Plus, he'd like another week to try to restore the original plan of ending the line atEastgate Square. Right now, it only goes to the Queenston traffic circle.

That would make it an easier sell among his fellow councillors, he said.

"What I did was preserve the LRT for another week and hopefully, you'll see some changes that may garner support around this table."

What's not clear is how realistic major changes are at this stage.

JasonFarr,Ward 2councillor, said when you combined the two marathon meetings, this has been debated for 26 hours. That should be enough time.

"We've had ample time and ample opportunity to go over the material," saidFarr, who used the Twitter tag #billiondollarthrowaway.

"I can't imagine, and don't want to imagine, the motive behind putting this off another week."

Maria Pearson, Ward 10 councillor, is undecided. She said she didn't defer it to prolong killing it either. "It's 11 o'clock," she said.

"Do you think we should make a decision after 12 hours of debating this?" said Doug Conley, Ward 9 councillor, who is also undecided.

Still, it wasn't the result Mayor Fred Eisenberger and councillors in favour of LRT wanted. Matthew Green, Ward 3 councillor, said the deferral happened because "there are some people who want to believe there are rabbits to be pulled out of hats."

This delay on its own doesn't threaten the 2019 construction timeline, since city council would have to ratify Wednesday's decision anyway. But it's another vote where the numbers have not been there to move the project forward.

Overall, there were more than 50 presenters Wednesday, including one who made his point to the tune of a Journey song.

Speakers both for and against the project took to the podium. Those in favour saidit will benefit future generations, advance the city and provide millions in economic spin off. Those opposed saidit's an unnecessary risk the city doesn't need.

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MichaelNaberteven sang his delegation at the special general issues committee meeting.

"Riders waiting up and down the corridor as stuffed full buses drive by,"Nabertsang to the tune of "Don't Stop Believing." He changed it to "Don't Stop LRT."

Councillors are voting on an updateto a 2011 environmental assessment (EA). It essentially spells out all the details of the project, from its route (alternately down Main and King streets from theMcMasterUniversity to theQueenstontraffic circle) to what sort of bird species it will encounter on the way.

Councillors were due to submit the report to the province in late March, but after a 13-hour meeting, delayed the vote to ask staff more questions.

• Hamilton councillors debate LRT for 13 hours, then delay approving major changes
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• Pro and anti Hamilton LRT camps mobilizing ahead of April 19, including the mayor

How they voted

Who voted to defer:

Chad Collins (Ward 5), Tom Jackson (6), Donna Skelly (7), Terry Whitehead (8), Doug Conley (9), Maria Pearson (10), Arlene VanderBeek (13), Judi Partridge (15).

Who was opposed:

Aidan Johnson (1), Jason Farr (2), Matthew Green (3), Sam Merulla (4), Mayor Fred Eisenberger, Lloyd Ferguson (12), Brenda Johnson (11).