For Immediate Release | Check Against Delivery
January 28th, 2015
Ontario Pre-Budget Consultation Remarks by Mayor Crombie
The following are remarks by Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie during an Ontario pre-budget consultation at the Living Arts Centre hosted by Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa and Ministry of Finance officials:
“Welcome, Minister Sousa, and Ministry of Finance officials.
“On behalf of the City of Mississauga and Members of Council, thank you for hosting this pre-budget consultation here today.
“This better allows Mississauga businesses, stakeholder and charitable groups and residents the opportunity to present their ideas in preparation of the 2015 Ontario budget.
“Minister, as the MPP for Mississauga South, you are no stranger to our world-class community.
“I nonetheless want to share some highlights about our thriving City.
“We are home to 63 Fortune 500 companies and almost 60,000 businesses, as well as Toronto Pearson airport.
“We have become a net importer of jobs – yes, more people come to work in Mississauga daily than leave.
“We are strategically located within the GTA as a hub of economic activity; and, our economy is strong with a GDP that now exceeds $40 billion annually.
“I applaud Premier Wynne and the government’s focused commitment to build modern transit and infrastructure; and to create jobs and grow the economy.
“The City of Mississauga is currently completing a detailed pre-budget consultation submission to be shared with the Ministry.
“This morning, I would like to highlight three key priorities:
“First – our City’s ongoing work to secure provincial funding to build the Hurontario-Main LRT.
“The City has funded $15.4 million for planning studies; an environmental assessment; and preliminary design work.
“Our proposed 2015-2024 capital plan includes a total of $25 million for land acquisition.
“The LRT will connect residents from Port Credit in the Minister’s Mississauga South constituency, into the Cooksville GO Train Station and the Square One City Centre area.
“All day two-way GO train service will further be a catalyst for LRT ridership, and to help break gridlock.
“Put simply, the LRT will improve public transit, create jobs and generate economic development. It will elevate the quality of life for residents, and perhaps most importantly, it will unleash the potential of our Downtown core.
“We need to get shovels in the ground!
“Second – are next steps to implement the Inspiration Lakeview Master Plan: Inspiration Lakeview is the City of Mississauga’s vision for its eastern waterfront.
“Ward 1 Councillor Jim Tovey has done tremendous work to make this plan a reality.
“Funding to develop the innovation corridor phase of the Inspiration Lakeview Master Plan will ensure construction begins for this large mixed-use development which will support future residential growth.
“If funding could be made available to ensure necessary studies could get underway, some of which are provincially mandated, then construction will follow and local jobs will also be created.
“And third – generating economic development and creating jobs.
“The City of Mississauga is committed to partnering with the provincial government to generate new job-creating opportunities, including: growing our life sciences business cluster to attract new investments; and, maintaining funding for skills training and improvement programs, especially for young Mississaugans.
“I would like to acknowledge and thank Minister Duguid for allocating additional funding to the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.
“Additional support to the GTMA better positions Mississauga to attract new foreign-direct investments.
“As Ontario’s third largest city, I believe that safeguarding funding and investing in Mississauga will benefit people in communities throughout the GTHA and across Ontario.
“I look forward to working with you, Minister, and Premier Wynne, to achieve great things for our City.
“The City of Mississauga will be presenting a formal submission to you in the coming weeks.”
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