Trudeau announces historic investment in public transit

September 4, 2015

 RICHMOND HILL, ON – A Liberal government will invest in public transit in order to strengthen our middle class, grow our economy, and ensure Canadians can spend less time commuting, and more quality time with their families, said the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, Justin Trudeau, today.

“An economy that can’t move its people will never reach its full potential. We see it when we can’t get to a job interview because of no bus service, when busy roads mean we miss our kids’ soccer games, when we spend hours sitting in traffic, or when we cram into packed subway cars,” said Mr. Trudeau. “This is about safe transit, how we get to work tomorrow, clean air, and our overall quality of life.”

A Liberal government will quadruple federal investment in public transit over the next decade by investing almost $20 billion more. Municipalities – which are responsible for the majority of public transit in Canada – have limited revenue sources. We will work with municipalities to see that local projects are prioritized, and ensure funding is flexible rather than a roadblock to development. We will also provide our provinces, territories, and municipalities with the long-term, predictable federal funding needed to make community transit plans a reality.

“Successful, confident countries invest in their own futures and build ambitiously. That is why public transit is a crucial component of our plan to make historic investments in infrastructure,” said Mr. Trudeau. “A Liberal government will ensure that we leave a better country to our kids and grandkids than the one we inherited. Together, we will grow the economy, generate good-paying jobs, and create more livable communities for all Canadians.”

Backgrounder:

 Real Change: Moving communities forward, Investing in public transit