Editing Line 4 Sheppard (section)

===Political debates and proposals===
Since 2007, there have been a series of political debates and proposals about whether to extend Line 4 east or west, or whether Line 4 should be continued eastwards as a separate light-rail line or as a heavy-rail extension of Line 4. Major political decisions were made only to be later reversed by succeeding governments. The following sections detail the major proposals.

====Transit City====
{{Main|Sheppard East LRT}}
In March 2007, the City of Toronto, under the mayoralty of [[David Miller (Canadian politician)|David Miller]], and the TTC released the [[Transit City]] proposal to begin a new round of transit expansion using [[light rail]] technology on dedicated rights-of-way instead of subway technology. Under this plan, the Sheppard East subway extension had been replaced by a light rail line running from Don Mills Station along Sheppard Avenue East to Meadowvale Road, where it would have met the northern terminus of an extended Line 3 Scarborough. Under this proposal, there would be no direct connection between [[North York City Centre]] and [[Scarborough City Centre]].

====Rob Ford era====
As a result of the election of [[Rob Ford]] as mayor of Toronto in 2010, the western extension of the Sheppard subway to Sheppard West Station and the eastern extension to Scarborough Centre were considered a priority again.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/899641--war-on-the-car-is-over-ford-moves-transit-underground |location=Toronto |work=The Star |first1=Tess |last1=Kalinowski |first2=David |last2=Rider |title='War on the car is over': Ford moves transit underground |date=December 2, 2010 |access-date=September 3, 2017 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022231134/http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/899641--war-on-the-car-is-over-ford-moves-transit-underground |url-status=live}}</ref> He indicated in a December 2010 interview with ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'' that all other transit projects would come second to completing the Sheppard line, stating "I'm just focusing on doing the Sheppard subway underground."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/rob-ford-ready-to-let-transit-projects-hold-in-favour-of-sheppard-subway/article1846354/ |location=Toronto |work=The Globe and Mail |title=Search |date=December 21, 2010 |access-date=September 3, 2017 |archive-date=February 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210172519/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/rob-ford-ready-to-let-transit-projects-hold-in-favour-of-sheppard-subway/article1846354/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 31, 2011, Rob Ford announced that the proposed Sheppard East LRT line would be replaced by western and eastern extensions for the Sheppard line so that the completed line would run from Sheppard West station to Scarborough Centre. The Ontario government approved this plan, which was estimated to cost $4.2{{nbsp}}billion. The City of Toronto would assume complete financial responsibility for the project, which was proposed to be funded through a [[public–private partnership]], as well as through the use of surplus funds from the proposed Eglinton Crosstown line (later renamed [[Line 5 Eglinton]]), if there were any. Massive redevelopment along the route would be needed to generate these funds, as the then-current population density and projected ridership was too low to support the cost of the expansion by itself.<ref>[[John Lorinc]] and Adrian Morrow, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-mayor-rob-fords-transit-plan-wins-provincial-approval/article1963854/ "Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's transit plan wins provincial approval"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831221915/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-mayor-rob-fords-transit-plan-wins-provincial-approval/article1963854/ |date=August 31, 2011}}. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 30, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/31/funding-questions-linger-after-new-transit-plan-announced/ "Funding questions linger after new transit plan announced"] By Natalie Alcoba, [[National Post]]. March 31, 2011</ref>

In 2011, Metrolinx estimated that the westward extension to Sheppard West would be {{Convert|5.45|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, add two stations, and cost $1.48{{nbsp}}billion. The Sheppard East extension would be {{Convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} long, add seven stations, and cost $2.75{{nbsp}}billion.<ref>[http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20110428/Toronto_Transit_Plan.pdf "Metrolinx / Toronto Transit Plan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002152725/http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20110428/Toronto_Transit_Plan.pdf |date=October 2, 2011}} [[Metrolinx]]. April 28, 2011</ref>

[[Gordon Chong]], head of the TTC agency tasked with analyzing the new subway plans at the time, said it was possible that no new transit development would occur along Sheppard Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Granatstein |first=Rob |title=Rob Ford's Sheppard hole: Granatstein |url=http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/rob_granatstein/2011/04/01/17843306.html |newspaper=Toronto Sun |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=April 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405000942/http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/rob_granatstein/2011/04/01/17843306.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Stintz's alternative====
On January 23, 2012, TTC chair [[Karen Stintz]] suggested a plan to extend the line two stops eastwards funded by making the eastern portion of Line 5 Eglinton at street level.<ref>[http://news.nationalpost.com/posted-toronto/save-money-on-eglinton-lrt-to-extend-sheppard-subway-ttc-chair-suggests "Save money on Eglinton LRT to extend Sheppard subway, TTC chair suggests"].</ref> This motion was defeated by the TTC board. She then got 24 councillors (a majority) to sign a petition calling for a special council meeting for February 8 of that year.

In the meeting, council voted to build the Eglinton project according to the original Transit City plan (partly underground and partly at grade), build [[Line 6 Finch West|an at-grade Finch West LRT]], and to appoint a panel to recommend whether to pursue the eastward extension of the Sheppard subway or construct the Sheppard East LRT instead. The panel reported back to council on March 31, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kalinowski |first=Tess |title=Special transit meeting: Mayor Rob Ford dismisses council's vote against his subway plan |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1127975--special-transit-meeting-karen-stintz-readies-motion-to-put-lrt-on-finch-and-eglinton-and-strike-panel-to-study-options-on-sheppard |work=[[Toronto Star]] |access-date=February 9, 2012 |date=February 9, 2012 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210051839/http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1127975--special-transit-meeting-karen-stintz-readies-motion-to-put-lrt-on-finch-and-eglinton-and-strike-panel-to-study-options-on-sheppard |url-status=live}}</ref> At this council meeting, council approved light rail rather than a subway extension for Sheppard.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1150280--will-toronto-s-transit-fight-be-won-today |location=Toronto |work=[[Toronto Star]] |first1=Tess |last1=Kalinowski |first2=David |last2=Rider |title=Rob Ford's subway dream dead as Toronto council votes 24–19 for LRT |date=March 22, 2012 |access-date=September 3, 2017 |archive-date=June 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624064553/http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/1150280--will-toronto-s-transit-fight-be-won-today |url-status=live}}</ref> On April 26 of that year, the motion to build the LRT was announced by the Minister of Transportation after being approved unanimously by [[Metrolinx]].<ref>[http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2012/04/ministers-statement-on-toronto-transit-projects.html "Minister's Statement On Toronto Transit Projects"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140601045835/http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2012/04/ministers-statement-on-toronto-transit-projects.html |date=June 1, 2014}}.</ref> The plan still needed to be approved by Ontario's cabinet, though on June 29, 2012, the Board of Directors of Metrolinx unanimously approved the same motion approved by Metrolinx in April.<ref>[http://www.thecrosstown.ca/ "More Transit for Toronto | Crosstown"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427051744/http://www.thecrosstown.ca/ |date=April 27, 2015}}.</ref>

====Early Tory era====
During the [[2014 Toronto mayoral election]], incumbent mayor Rob Ford (and his brother [[Doug Ford]], after the prior's withdrawal) were the only major candidates who supported completing Line 4 Sheppard east to McCowan Road (phase-one project) and west to Sheppard West station (phase-two project).<ref>{{cite news |title=Rob Ford unveils subway-heavy transit plan |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rob-ford-unveils-subway-heavy-transit-plan-1.2754039 |work=[[CBC News]] |date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=June 12, 2015 |archive-date=July 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703033039/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rob-ford-unveils-subway-heavy-transit-plan-1.2754039 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[John Tory]], who won the election, did not include anything on the Sheppard corridor in his maps; instead, he favoured [[SmartTrack]], a proposal to enhance [[GO Transit]] rail service with the city of Toronto. However, he did say that he would proceed with the LRT, although the project would not be a priority for him.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/toronto2014election/2014/08/25/finch_sheppard_lrts_are_election_hot_potatoes_again.html |work=Toronto Star |title=Finch, Sheppard LRTs are election 'hot potatoes' again |last1=Dale |first1=Daniel |access-date=June 12, 2015 |date=August 25, 2014 |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518053741/http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/toronto2014election/2014/08/25/finch_sheppard_lrts_are_election_hot_potatoes_again.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 27, 2015, [[Steven Del Duca]], the Ontario Minister of Transportation, said that the LRT project would not start until at least 2021.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/27/finch-lrt-to-be-complete-in-2022-before-sheppard-breaks-ground.html |title=Finch LRT to be complete in 2021, before Sheppard breaks ground |work=Toronto Star |last1=Kalinowski |first1=Tess |access-date=June 12, 2015 |date=April 27, 2015 |archive-date=June 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624235315/http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/04/27/finch-lrt-to-be-complete-in-2022-before-sheppard-breaks-ground.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2016, Toronto City Council approved a one-stop subway extension on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth to Scarborough Centre station. During this vote, city council also approved putting an extension of Line 4 into Scarborough back into consideration.<ref name="G&M-2016-07-13">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/toronto-city-council-shows-support-for-scarborough-subway-expansion/article30910103/ |title=Toronto City Council approves planning for raft of transit projects |newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]] |first=Oliver |last=Moore |date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=April 15, 2017 |archive-date=April 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170404124448/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/toronto-city-council-shows-support-for-scarborough-subway-expansion/article30910103/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Doug Ford era====
In April 2019, Doug Ford, who had since become [[premier of Ontario]] after the [[2018 Ontario general election|2018 provincial election]], unveiled a new transportation plan for Toronto, including the new [[Ontario Line]]<!--Don't give this line a number (tentatively 3) until official sources confirm it with refs added--> to replace the proposed [[Relief Line (Toronto)|Relief Line]], an extension of Line 1 to [[Richmond Hill, Ontario|Richmond Hill]], a northeastward extension of Line 2 with new stations to replace [[Line 3 Scarborough]], a westward extension of Line 5 Eglinton to [[Toronto Pearson International Airport]] in [[Mississauga]] and an extension of Line 4 Sheppard east to [[McCowan Road]], where it would intersect with the Line 2 extension about {{convert|1|km}} north of Scarborough Town Centre. However, money was not set aside in the government's budget for the Line 4 extension.<ref name="Global-2019-04-11">{{cite news |work=Global News |first=Nick |last=Westoll |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Ontario budget 2019: No money for Sheppard line extension, new bridges on Toronto relief line |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5157545/ontario-budget-says-no-money-for-sheppard-subway-line/ |access-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-date=August 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815165611/https://globalnews.ca/news/5157545/ontario-budget-says-no-money-for-sheppard-subway-line/ |url-status=live}}</ref> During the [[2022 Ontario general election|2022 provincial election]], Doug Ford campaigned for the eastward extension of Line 4 to Scarborough to intersect with the Line 2 extension, as well as for other subway extensions in Toronto. Following Ford's re-election as premier of Ontario, the Ontario Fall Economic Statement in 2022 recommitted the government to the eastward extension by confirming planning work had continued for the Sheppard subway extension, which would extend Line 4 from its existing terminus at [[Don Mills station]] to McCowan Road.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Fall Statement {{!}} Table of Contents |url=https://budget.ontario.ca/2022/fallstatement/contents.html |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=budget.ontario.ca |archive-date=November 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221115025327/https://budget.ontario.ca/2022/fallstatement/contents.html |url-status=live}}</ref> 

On June 8, 2023, Associate Minister of Transportation [[Stan Cho]] announced that he and Minister of Transportation [[Caroline Mulroney]] had given official direction to agency officials to prepare an initial business case to extend Line 4 eastwards to the terminus station of the Scarborough subway extension (located at McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue East) and to explore the potential for extending the line westwards to Sheppard West station.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Cho |first=Stan |date=June 8, 2023 |title=As we consider the future of transportation, it's crucial to evaluate the need for #transit expansion. A Sheppard Subway East Extension, with the possibility of a western route, has the potential to unlock new opportunities, connect communities & propel the city's growth forward |url=https://twitter.com/StanChoMPP/status/1666864708798775307?s=20 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref> In November 2023, Metrolinx held public consultations to receive feedback on potential extensions along Sheppard Avenue eastward from Don Mills station to McCowan Road, and westward from Sheppard–Yonge station to Sheppard West station. Metrolinx was also considering a further extension eastwards from McCowan Road to Meadowvale Road near [[Rouge National Urban Park]]<!-- but not directly to the nearby [[Toronto Zoo]] yet -->.<ref name="Metrolinx-2023-11-14">{{cite web |url=https://www.metrolinx.com/en/news/sheppard-extension-public-consultations-underway |title=Sheppard Extension public consultations underway |publisher=[[Metrolinx]] |date=November 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115235432/https://www.metrolinx.com/en/news/sheppard-extension-public-consultations-underway | archive-date=November 15, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Before this announcement, the City of Toronto was planning that its proposed [[Eglinton East LRT]] would serve Sheppard Avenue between McCowan Road and Morningside Avenue, overlapping a potential Metrolinx expansion of Line 4 east of McCowan Road. In case of an overlap, city planners would modify the Eglinton East LRT route.<ref name="TO-2023-11-21">{{cite web |url=https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-241045.pdf |title=Advancing Eglinton East Light Rail Transit |publisher=[[Municipal government of Toronto|City of Toronto]] |date=November 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201013022/https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-241045.pdf | archive-date=December 1, 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2024, there was a public consultation regarding the Line 4 eastward extension in which the public selected their preferred alignment, with the extension to [[Scarborough Town Centre]] being the most popular among the options.<ref>{{cite web |last=Martin |first=Reece |url=https://urbantoronto.ca/news/2024/06/extending-sheppard-line-4-better-way.56327 | title=Extending Sheppard Line 4... the Better Way |work=[[UrbanToronto]] }}</ref>