Dreschel on Hamilton's LRT Ask and the 2015-2016 Ontario Budget

Columnist Andrew Dreschel has an opinion piece in the Spec about Hamilton's $811 billion LRT ask and the $302 billion local transit improvements ask (including a really expensive bus barn) and the next budget.

Basically no one really knows, but I'm unfortunately skeptical that Hamilton is going to get the LRT money anytime soon. We well may not get any information and just continue the same holding position the city has been in since the Liberals promised LRT funding in the 2007 election. The Liberals may well say that increased GO transit service is Hamilton's share of the GTHA transit funding.

One part of the article I found interesting that wasn't really related to transit was mayor Eisenberger's comment on the selling of Hydro One assets:

"Meanwhile, while waiting for the shoe to drop, he praises the Liberal government's transit funding plan, which includes selling off 60 per cent of Hydro One and other government assets. 

"I think they're bold and creative and, in many respects, pragmatic moves for generating the kind of dollars that are necessary to make these infrastructure investments.""

I'm wondering if that means Eisenberger is in favour of the merger of Hamilton's electrical utility Horizon with part of Hydro One and some other GTA utilities. If Hamilton doesn't get a concrete promise of LRT in this budget I hope the city doesn't meekly go along with this merger as I don't see a lot of upside for Hamilton.