On Sept. 27, Ontario Premier Mike Harris
announced a 10-year outlay of provincial funds totaling $3 billion (Cdn.) for transit
infrastructure in Ontario. As described by the premier, this investment could be matched
with another $3 billion (Cdn.) from the Canadian federal government, and the same amount
from Ontario municipalities through a new partnership.
Previously, local municipalities have been responsible for a full 100 percent of
transit capital funds.
Harris said the transit plan "will keep Ontario's people moving quickly, safely,
and efficiently," as part of the provincial government's overall vision for smart
growth and transportation planning. The proposal also includes the development of
partnerships with the private sector that would add to the $9 billion in public sector
funds. Responsibility for Toronto's GO Transit system would be taken back from the
municipalities and a new operations authority would be created to coordinate services,
which would free up an immediate $100 million a year for greater Toronto area
municipalities with local transit systems.
"At this point, there's no federal commitment," said Michael Roschlau,
president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Urban Transit Association. "the
only part of the program the province has really announced and has authority to announce
is its own share…The municipal share is pretty much a give, since right now the
municipalities are paying for everything."
Harris’ provincial plan is a change from four years ago, when Ontario
municipalities were give responsibility for transit and the Greater Toronto area. "It
was the right decision at the time," the premier said, but enormous population growth
in the region has made this form of oversight impractical.
Roschlau explained that the earlier shift in transit funding was part of a "local
services realignment," a trade of financial responsibilities between the provincial
and municipal governments: the local governments took full responsibility for transit,
local roads, and some social services, while the provincial government took over some
educational budgets that had been locally administered.
"The breakthrough last week was a great victory for municipalities," he
continued, "that bodes well for the future in terms of clearing through the backlog
of bus replacement, infrastructure renewal, etc. On the other hand, we'll be able to look
seriously at extensions and growth in the longer term."
Roschlau noted that CUTA has been lobbying the Canadian federal government for some
years to make a commitment to funding transit.
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