Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Conservatives break public transit funding promise - Tuesday August 22, 2006
TORONTO – NDP Infrastructure & Communities Critic for Toronto Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park) and NDP MP Olivia Chow (Trinity-Spadina) today condemned federal Conservative Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s refusal to deliver federal public transit funding he promised for the City of Toronto’s York University subway extension project.
This backtracks from the 2006 federal budget in which Conservatives committed to “provide up to $1.3 billion in support of public transit infrastructure.” Today, the Minister confirmed in the media that “there isn’t any firm money on the table” for Toronto’s public transit system and is now suggesting that funds destined for transit in the 2006 budget may now be diverted into highway construction.
“If Minister Flaherty is concerned with congestion in southern Ontario, then he shouldn’t be reneging on public transit funding that helps alleviate the number of cars on Ontario roads,” said Nash. “Torontonians are familiar with the city’s smog problems and federal funding for public transit are the most needed infrastructure investment our city and the region needs right now.”
“This is another example of the Conservatives promising one thing to this region, but turning around and doing something completely different,” said Chow.
The $1.3 billion public transit investment contained in Conservative government’s 2006 budget consists of funds originally designated in the NDP 2005 budget.
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 9:59 PM 
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]