Thread by @McKayScandiffio

@CityNewsTO @fitz_meagan @ColinDMello @robferguson1 @robertbenzie @l_stone While nurses and teachers suffer, Phil Vester, the CEO of Metrolinx (an Ontario government employee) got a 46% increase in his pay in 2020). #ONT 1/

Metrolinx is planning to build a 175,000 square-metres-sized train yard in Thorncliffe Park where they’ll clean and maintain vehicles 24/7 within 800 metres of 30,000 ppl. Dirt, light pollution, noise, etc. TPark has 30k residents in a neighbourhood designed for 12,500 people.

Almost 50% of the residents of TP sit at, or below, the line of poverty. The yard will displace a number of small businesses & a mosque. Metrolinx (the Ontario govt) has promised the neighbourhood money for “community benefits.” The money?

Metrolinx has promised the Islamic Society of Toronto $50 MILLION for them to build a new centre in TP with new prayer areas, meeting and sports facilities, etc.

In a letter to the city in 2018, though, the IST wrote that a new centre would, “serve as a new community center and private and public recreation facility for the growing Muslim population.” ie. the money being provided for the community is going to go only to a select group.

As Metrolinx is part of the Ontario government, TAXPAYERS are footing a $50 MILLION DOLLAR bill for a centre which will serve a single religious community.

There is no way that a “community centre” (which won’t even serve the whole community) will offset the permanent destruction done to this neighbourhood. Why are taxpayers footing a $50 MILLION bill for a religious org?

I have worked in TP in several capacities for ~ 15 years. I have lots of Muslim friends. I’m not even CLOSE to being Islamophobic. But I also know residents who are Filipino, Jamaican, European, Canadian, all of whom would be excluded from this, “community” centre.

As the Min of Transportation, @C_Mulroney can reverse the decision to build a train yard in this neighbourhood which has been incredibly underserved for so many years. Don’t let the govt use taxpayers’ $ to make it appear that they are providing benefits for this area. /fin

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