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Premier commits $600M for Ottawa's transit plan
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Date: Fri. Dec. 18 2009 5:39 PM ET
Premier Dalton McGuinty is tripling the province's contribution to help fund a $2.1-billion transit expansion that will bring light rail and a downtown tunnel to Ottawa.
McGuinty is pledging $600 million in funding to be used specifically for transit over the next eight to 10 years. He is urging the federal government to match the contribution.
The first phase of Ottawa's master plan for transit was originally pegged at $1.4 billion; then it climbed to $1.8 billion. Now, the total cost for phase one is estimated at $2.1 billion.
The province had previously committed $200 million in funding for the project. McGuinty announced the additional $400 million on Wednesday.
The premier also made it clear there won't be any more provincial money for Ottawa transit.
The provincial funding is the largest single investment Ontario has ever given to the City of Ottawa.
"This is a game changer for the City of Ottawa," said Mayor Larry O'Brien. "This makes life easier for you, the citizens."
The announcement comes as the province tries to find ways to tackle its $24.7-billion deficit.
The government is currently considering a funding freeze for hospitals, and is looking at selling some of Ontario's most valuable assets: the LCBO, OLG Corp., Hydro One Inc. and Ontario Power Generation.
So far, the federal government has committed $200 million in funding for Ottawa's transit plan.
A spokesperson for federal Transport Minister John Baird said the government is reviewing Ottawa's vision for transit and will be able to say more about federal funding in the new year.
A city transit committee approved phase one of the project on Wednesday. City council is expected to make a final decision on the project on Jan. 13.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Kate Eggins
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I fail to see just what a minister could learn by an on site visit that he couldn't get from people who are actual experts in the various fields of work involved. It is doubtful that he is any sort of nuclear engineer or expert in construction. Just another photo op...
Comments are now closed for this story
magicman
said
cara
said
Mark
said
When you yourself and/or your family are waiting for heart or cancer surgery, I am sure you will no longer talk about numbers.
How many people can be saved with 600 million dollars in 10 years?
Tavis
said
How many of us currently avoid the downtown congestion? I can't even remember the last time I went downtown. There's nothing downtown that I can't get around town.
This won't make our roads and highways any less congested. In fact, Ottawa's transit (wait for it.....) OC Transpo - is a joke. If anything, OC Transpo has been turning riders off their services, with bad drivers, poor service, reduced service, and city-crippling strikes. Those are all reasons why like many others, I bought a car and refuse to use OC Transpo.
This money would be better spent building a new highway further South of Ottawa connecting the East and West ends, the areas of high growth.
The 417 is an absolute mess. Traffic slows down to a near-stop whether you're heading Eastbound or Westbound, and that's on days with no accidents, construction or road maintenance. There is currently no way for the folks living in Ottawa South-West to travel to Ottawa East without taking the great 417 detour, or taking a convoluted trip through many MANY communities.
There are also many congestions in the wintertime due to large developing outlying communities such as Barrhaven (especially in the wintertime). There are some key roads that could use widening to 4 lanes, and I'm told that won't be happening for 10-30 years (the one that makes the most sense for us Barrhaven residents is Greenbank Rd).
As always, the City of Ottawa has no transit plan that positively affects most Ottawa residents. How can politicians perform so poorly time after time? I guess it's too much to ask our politicians to wise up to what people are asking for.
Rose Rosy
said
Kevin
said
Vive l'Ottawa libre !
Chris
said
Hes pledging about 60 million a year for 10 years.
Thats 0.03% of the health care budget for the year.
Do you all still want to complain about "how much" money that is.
J
said
NOMAD
said
Mike in Ottawa
said
Dave in Manotick
said
Once again, politicians trying to bribe us with our own dough, but they never spend it on what we really need. a pox on all of them.
Linda B
said
Then again, I suppose that makes sense... I can get to work because there is transit, and if I work I can pay all the taxes but if I'm sick I simply cost the ontario government money.
Janet
said
You have not even collected the HST yet and you are already spending it- some advice "you would get more votes if you put that money into health care ....what are you thinking????"