FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Transit riders call on Ford government to reverse $1.1 billion cuts to transit
MAY 27, 2019 (Toronto, ON) – Transit riders are calling on Premier Ford to listen to transit riders and reverse provincial cuts to promised transit funding. The TTC had already allocated the funding to state of good repair and accessibility upgrades and will be short $24 million in 2019.
“Premier Ford must listen to millions of Ontario transit riders and keep his promise to fund transit so that we get better service now and lower fares,” said TTCriders spokesperson Shelagh Pizey-Allen. “The TTC is the least-subsidized transit system in North America and was counting on this funding to install elevators and other critical maintenance work.”
TTCriders is also calling on the province to cancel Bill 107, which will be voted on as early as Wednesday at Queen’s Park. The Bill gives new powers to the Province to decide what transit projects get built and to stop the City from moving ahead with its own plans. The province has left the Eglinton East and Waterfront LRTs off its map.
“Mayor Tory needs to stand up for transit riders and call on Conservative MPPs to cancel the TTC takeover and funding cuts,” said Pizey-Allen. “The province is tearing up our transit plans and cancelling Waterfront and Eglinton East LRTs.”
The provincial government had committed to increase transit funding to 107 Ontario municipalities. Cities can spend provincial funding on capital or operations. Approximately $90 million of provincial gas tax funding is allocated to the TTC’s operating budget each year, which amounts to one eighth of the overall subsidy.
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GAS TAX FUNDING FOR TTC'S 2019-2028 STAFF RECOMMENDED CAPITAL BUDGET AND PLAN https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-130188.pdf