For Immediate Release
August 28th, 2015
Local Priorities Generating National Attention: Mayor Crombie
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued the following statement today regarding the 42nd federal election which will be held on October 19th, 2015:
“As Canadians prepare to enter the second month of the 2015 federal election, I am encouraged by the ongoing policy announcements made by each of the main four political parties regarding local public policy initiatives.
“During the lead up to the federal election, it is becoming more evident that our persistent hard work is paying off, and that local priorities are generating national attention.
“This past week the Liberal Party pledged significant new funding for public transit, housing and climate change adaptation. Over the next decade the Liberal Party has committed to investing $125 billion in new infrastructure initiatives.
“The Conservative Party has committed to launching the Public Transit Fund (PTF), the Government’s largest dedicated infrastructure program to promote public transit infrastructure investment. Funds from the PTF will be made available for Toronto’s SmartTrack regional express rail surface line, which proposes a new transit station at Mississauga’s Matheson/Airport Corporate Centre. The government has already announced $2.6 billion in federal funding for SmartTrack.
“During FCM’s Annual Conference in June, I listened as NDP Leader Tom Mulcair addressed municipal leaders and reiterated his party’s commitment to municipalities, including a pledge to allocate an additional cent of the existing gas tax for transit and infrastructure. The NDP have said they would invest $1.3 billion annually over the next 20 years toward public transit funding for municipalities.
“And on Tuesday the Green Party unveiled its National Housing Plan, which pledges to invest in affordable housing and homelessness.
“With gridlock costing the GTA’s economy up to an estimated $11 billion annually, this election must continue to be a wide-ranging debate about the ideas, plans and action federal party leaders will take to support Canada’s cities.”
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