NEWS

Federal government investing in Toronto’s infrastructure

Joe Oliver

Traffic and gridlock have plagued Toronto for years, frustrating commuters and undermining our local economy.

With Toronto’s continuous growth, the health of our communities and our economic potential rely on more efficient public and private transportation. Not only is this a vital economic issue, but congestion has an important human cost, as it drains away precious time for family and leisure. So it is essential that we renew our critical infrastructure by making key investments in expanding roads, bridges and public transportation.

To meet this challenge, the federal government is delivering funding to help maintain and improve infrastructure across the GTA, and get people and goods moving more efficiently.

Since 2006, we have dedicated more than $3.2 billion to building transit projects. This includes the Scarborough subway, the Toronto-York Spadina subway expansion, a modernization for the GO Transit system, and rapid transit systems throughout the GTA. We have also provided $133 million to the ongoing revitalization of Union Station.

Our government takes infrastructure seriously, which is why we are not stopping there.

We are making ground-breaking investments in Canada’s infrastructure through the Building Canada Plan — the largest and longest federal infrastructure investment in Canadian history. The plan commits $75 billion to improve public infrastructure over the next decade, including $53 billion allocated for provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure.

For Ontario alone, the new Building Canada Plan represents almost $11 billion in dedicated federal funding. As minister responsible for the GTA, I am in regular contact with Mayor John Tory to identify priority projects for Toronto. In the face of a growing city, these investments will keep our communities moving and stimulate economic growth by providing greater access to markets.

Our government is delivering on Canada’s infrastructure priorities, and we are doing so without raising taxes on hard-working Canadian families.

In fact, we have brought the federal tax burden down to its lowest level in 50 years. We will deliver a balanced budget, and ensure we don’t burden our children and grandchildren with more debt.

Furthermore, investments in transportation will make Canada a better place to do business, with a higher quality of life for future generations, and position us for prosperity in these challenging times.