Lakeshore East Trains

“Dear [NAME]
I am a member of your riding. I’m writing you today to discuss Metrolinx and to request your support to secure provincial/federal funding for noise mitigation, to minimize the impact of the Regional Express Rail (RER) project on communities along the GO corridor - including along the tracks in your riding.

With the RER project, rail service will increase steeply to every 15 minutes. Communities living along GO train lines will experience one train every 7.5 minutes from 5am until 1am. In some cases trains pass less than 20 metres from bedroom windows. Increases have begun on the Lakeshore East and West lines.

Provincial regulations require mitigation for increased noise of 5db or more. Some sections in your riding had increased noise just below that threshold, but Metrolinx has determined that those sections clearly require mitigation. They plan to approach the Ontario Ministry of Transportation with a request for funding.

We urge you to ask for support from your provincal, federal and municipal colleagues to secure funding for the work required to mitigate noise for your constituents living along the GO corridor. We hope we can count on your support.

I would be remiss if I did not stress that our neighbourhoods fully support RER and the improved transit service it will bring. This is an important project, and it is equally important that it not be built at the expense of the people living along the tracks.

I’d be pleased to discuss this further and hear how you plan to address this important issue.

Thank you,”

“Dear [NAME] -

I am a resident of your riding and am writing to you about an issue that important to me and to the community as a whole. As you may know, on Sept. 16 the Toronto Star reported in an editorial, that John Tory wanted to “Turn down the volume!” He has asked City staff to find short-term ways to control noise in the city. The editorial recognized the risks to public health of increasing urban noise pollution.

Are you aware that Tory’s own SmartTrack program, now run cooperatively with Metrolinx, is resulting in ever increasing noise pollution in Toronto? On Sept. 18 Metrolinx announced that it will increase GO traffic along the Lakeshore East Corridor by 21%. That increase began on Sept. 24. It is well known that more trains mean more noise, more vibration, more diesel pollution and more rail safety risks, all endangering public health and safety. And this is happening with no mitigation whatsover.

Having carried out an Environmental Assessment of these risks in 2017, in connection with its GO-RER project, Metrolinx knows well that traffic increases of the type just announced require mitigation in the form of noise walls, vibration mats, electric locomotives and computer-based train control (CBTC). It has committed in public to these forms of mitigation for GO-RER by 2025, but plans no mitigation at all for identical increases, including increased noise, that are taking place through service expansion right now.

Do you support allowing SmartTrack/Metrolinx to go ahead with service expansion while offering no protection to the public for increased noise and other risks?

Sincerely,
”

“Date:
RE: Call to Revoke the Ontario Line Initial Business Case

To: [NAME],
I live in a neighbourhood adjacent to the proposed elevated guideway with a station at Queen/De Grassi between East Harbour and the Gerrard/Pape area as part of Ontario Line (OL). I have serious concerns related to the impact this project will have on my family and community.

I am writing to ask you to consider the impact that seven years of construction noise, vibration and dust, as well as the permanent disruption above-ground guideways will have on families, homes and small businesses. Combined with the Regional Express Rail (RER), hundreds of families will have to endure construction of two massive rail projects for over a decade.

Once operational, the OL would bring noise, vibration and bright lights every 90 seconds next to rec centres and tennis courts, seniors’ residents and children’s bedroom windows, some only a few metres from the rail corridor. With GO trains scheduled to pass every 3.5 minutes daily from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. through RER, the environmental impact (noise pollution, air quality) of the two projects is cause for serious health concern. Sleep will be disturbed, children will stop using parks, seniors will avoid going outside to avoid the noise.

In 2011, the World Health Organization published “Burden of disease from environmental noise.” The report links environmental noise pollution (e.g. traffic, planes, trains) to many health issues, including: stress, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbance, tinnitus and cardiovascular disease.

Environmental noise pollution has social and economic impacts, including loss of productivity and sick days at work, poor concentration impacting our children’s ability to learn, and puts undue strain on our healthcare system. This problem will only grow as our neighbourhood densifies with the condos in development in close proximity to the proposed elevated guideway.

Your colleagues, advocates and transit enthusiasts have called on the Province to abandon the OL given the extent of planning and funds already expended for the Relief Line. The realignment of the route and the change to design is a colossal waste of money and time.

I call on you to abandon the OL because of the impact it will have on the health and wellbeing of my family. Commit to establishing a transit solution that has been backed by community engagement and a feasibility study that measures the true impact to all Ontarians affected.

Thank you for your commitment.
Name:
”