Letter to minister flaherty june 2 2013
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The Ontario Minister of Finance wrote a letter to the Canadian Minister of Finance requesting a meeting to discuss increasing federal funding for transportation infrastructure projects in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The Ontario minister emphasized the economic, social, and environmental benefits of investing in public transit. While Ontario has found funding efficiencies, more revenue is needed to fund the $50 billion in transit projects proposed by Metrolinx. The minister hopes to partner with the federal government to address the "critical need" for transit investment and reduce gridlock in the GTHA.
Letter to minister flaherty june 2 2013
- 1. Ministry of Finance Office of the Minister Minist┬re des Finances Bureau du ministre 7th Floor, Frost Building South 7 Queen's Park Crescent Toronto ON M7A 1Y7 Telephone: 416-325-0400 Facsimile: 416-327-0374 7e └tage, ?difice Frost Sud 7 Queen's Park Crescent Toronto ON M7A 1Y7 T└l└phone: 416-325-0400 T└l└copieur: 416-327-0374 ´/cont¨d June 2, 2013 James M. Flaherty Minister of Finance 21st Floor, East Tower L¨Esplanade Laurier 140 O¨Connor Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1G2 Dear Minister Flaherty: I am writing to respond to your letter dated May 30, 2013, wherein you express your views on funding transit and transportation infrastructure in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (＾GTHA￣). I am also writing to request a meeting with you on this critical issue as soon as possible. As you are well aware, the province has not asked the federal government for any changes to the Harmonized Sales Tax. However, since 2010, we have repeatedly requested that the federal government invest in a national transit strategy C with dedicated infrastructure dollars for the building of more transit. This is not only an economic, social and environmental imperative, it is also an urgent obligation of national importance. Moreover, given the Harper government¨s commitment to job creation through Canada¨s Economic Action Plan, your government would be a natural partner in the creation of an estimated 987,700 person years of employment over the next 20 years through Metrolinx¨s $50 billion Big Move projects. As well, it is worth nothing that the environmental impact of building more transit would improve the health and well-being of people, and eliminate millions of unnecessary car trips. Unfortunately, your government¨s current investment in
- 2. - 2 - ´/cont¨d transit through the Building Canada Fund provides only four percent of the necessary funding needed to address the transit and transportation deficit in the GTHA. Congestion is also a significant challenge for businesses. The Toronto Region Board of Trade states that all levels of government must be involved, including a more prominent role by the federal government. As Carol Wilding, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Region Board of Trade has said, ＾Congestion comes with a $6 billion annual economic cost to the Greater Toronto Area, and it is crucial that the federal government is part of the solution.￣ Alan O¨Dette, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce adds ＾Business understands that the status quo is no longer an option and that the case for better transportation is overwhelming. The question is no longer 'if' but 'how' to fund new infrastructure in the GTHA. People around the province recognize that moving goods and services through the GTHA has an economic impact on all of our communities. If you have goods in a truck sitting on a highway somewhere that¨s costing you taxes, that¨s costing you labour.￣ Furthermore, finding efficiencies within government is ongoing and it is why we have consistently outperformed our fiscal targets. As stated in Ontario¨s 2013 Budget, Ontario currently has the lowest program spending per capita among Canadian provinces. These measures will continue, but it must not preclude us from finding adequate revenues to fund these historic transit investments. The Metrolinx Investment Strategy is a comprehensive report with recommendations made to our government for consideration. Over the coming months, we will carefully evaluate their funding recommendations, and engage with affected municipalities and the people before we come up with a final plan to address the critical need for investment in transit infrastructure in the GTHA. We are committed to reducing gridlock and Metrolinx¨s Big Move is an important part of achieving that goal. Investments in public transit infrastructure will help manage congestion, support economic growth, create jobs and contribute to improving the everyday lives of the people residing in our province. As the Minister responsible for the Greater Toronto Region, I hope you agree that a dedicated source of funding by your government is an economic and health imperative and would be one of your utmost priorities, similar to that of other projects already made by your government in other parts of Canada. This is a shared priority and we need you and your government to work with us, as well as contribute more funding to these critical investments for the benefit of Ontario¨s and Canada¨s future competitiveness.
- 3. I look forward to meeting with you on this subject to discuss the federal government¨s recognition of ＾the need to invest in critical transportation infrastructure￣ and partnership to help resolve ＾transit and transportation challenges facing commuters.￣ Sincerely, Charles Sousa Minister c: The Honourable Kathleen O. Wynne, Premier The Honourable Glen R. Murray, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure