Recent revelations have indicated that the estimated costs of the Ontario line subway project in Toronto have more than tripled relative to the original estimates, rising to more than $34 billion with further cost increases likely. The situation again raises questions about how these kinds of megaprojects are being planned, managed and financed.

Whatever the final costs of the Ontario line turn out to be, it is important to recall that the project only represents a small portion of what is now a more than half-trillion dollar infrastructure spending program being pursued by the Ford government. The key elements of the program include a massive expansion of the role of nuclear power (with costs estimated in excess of $400 billion), highway expansion ($30 billion plus $50 to 100 billion for burying the 401 highway) and transit ($70 billion — not counting the revised Ontario Line cost estimates) projects.

There is no doubt the province needs to make investments in energy, transportation and other infrastructure. But whether the specific projects the province is pursuing make economic, technological, environmental and planning sense — as well as if the resulting projects are being well managed and how they are to be paid for — are different sets of questions.

None of the projects in the Ford government’s growing infrastructure portfolio has........

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