Mayors push for federal transit funding
Patrick_Ross @ Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:40 pm
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2 ... ansit.html
$1:
Mayors push for federal transit funding
Plan might have prevented Ottawa's light rail demise
Canada is the only western nation that doesn't guarantee urban transit funding from its top level of government, says a group representing the country's major urban centres.
A guaranteed portion of Canada's gas tax earmarked for transit would help cities run their transit systems properly and would "fit very nicely with the federal government's new environmental agenda," said Toronto Mayor David Miller Tuesday on behalf of the big city mayors caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
"We can't expand our transit system and in the case of a lot of major cities, we can't even afford what we have now without substantial funding from other orders of government," said Miller, adding that increasing transit use would decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
A national transit plan would also prevent long-term projects such as Ottawa's north-south light rail line — cancelled after years of planning and funding negotiations — from falling victim to short-term political manoeuvres, he said.
"When you have that kind of funding, you can make decisions as a city about where the expansion should go based on your needs as a city rather than having to negotiate project by project with the federal and provincial governments, which depends on their political priorities."
Miller said the big city mayors caucus, which includes Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax and 17 other large urban centres, will discuss its national transit plan proposal at a meeting in Ottawa in early February.
The group has pushed for a national transit plan before. But after a recent cabinet shuffle, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he recognized the government needs "to do more on the environment," suggesting he may be more receptive to the idea now.
In December Ottawa's new city council cancelled the light rail project approved by the previous council in July. Treasury Board President John Baird had withheld $200 million in federal money for the project until after the Nov. 13 election to give the new council a chance to vote on the project. Baird replaced Rona Ambrose as environment minister on Jan. 4.
Plan might have prevented Ottawa's light rail demise
Canada is the only western nation that doesn't guarantee urban transit funding from its top level of government, says a group representing the country's major urban centres.
A guaranteed portion of Canada's gas tax earmarked for transit would help cities run their transit systems properly and would "fit very nicely with the federal government's new environmental agenda," said Toronto Mayor David Miller Tuesday on behalf of the big city mayors caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
"We can't expand our transit system and in the case of a lot of major cities, we can't even afford what we have now without substantial funding from other orders of government," said Miller, adding that increasing transit use would decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
A national transit plan would also prevent long-term projects such as Ottawa's north-south light rail line — cancelled after years of planning and funding negotiations — from falling victim to short-term political manoeuvres, he said.
"When you have that kind of funding, you can make decisions as a city about where the expansion should go based on your needs as a city rather than having to negotiate project by project with the federal and provincial governments, which depends on their political priorities."
Miller said the big city mayors caucus, which includes Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax and 17 other large urban centres, will discuss its national transit plan proposal at a meeting in Ottawa in early February.
The group has pushed for a national transit plan before. But after a recent cabinet shuffle, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he recognized the government needs "to do more on the environment," suggesting he may be more receptive to the idea now.
In December Ottawa's new city council cancelled the light rail project approved by the previous council in July. Treasury Board President John Baird had withheld $200 million in federal money for the project until after the Nov. 13 election to give the new council a chance to vote on the project. Baird replaced Rona Ambrose as environment minister on Jan. 4.
Confused @ Sun Jan 14, 2007 7:19 pm
Miller is disgusting. Of course Pitfield was a train-wreck too. These people always run to the Provinces/Feds for everything. There is only so much wealth to go around...
ridenrain @ Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:05 pm
Wow... gas tax. When did I hear that last..
Oh yeah, here:
$1:
Martin cool to idea of cutting federal gas tax
Updated Tue. Aug. 23 2005 8:37 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Prime Minister Paul Martin is cool to the idea of cutting federal taxes on gasoline despite surging prices at the pump.
"The federal government does not make money from increasing gas prices," he told reporters Monday in Edmonton.
Updated Tue. Aug. 23 2005 8:37 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Prime Minister Paul Martin is cool to the idea of cutting federal taxes on gasoline despite surging prices at the pump.
"The federal government does not make money from increasing gas prices," he told reporters Monday in Edmonton.
Maybe that's why they lost.
source
The feds are giving us $590-million for the gateway progect but that has little transit content, other than better roads for the busses. I do believe the best way to sponsor this would be to reduce the gas taxes and let cities figure it out for themselves.
Arctic_Menace @ Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:07 pm
*Prays for this to go through to allow his city of Ottawa to get light rail...*
hwacker @ Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:09 pm
How can miller support the 25% pay hike, beg the fed for more money. He can't tax the hell out of the people of Toronto. Oh wait yes he can.
glad i live in the 905
Tricks @ Sun Jan 14, 2007 8:13 pm
hwacker hwacker:
How can miller support the 25% pay hike, beg the fed for more money. He can't tax the hell out of the people of Toronto. Oh wait yes he can.
glad i live in the 905
Yep same here.
glad i live in the 905
Patrick_Ross @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:59 am
ridenrain ridenrain:
The feds are giving us $590-million for the gateway progect but that has little transit content, other than better roads for the busses. I do believe the best way to sponsor this would be to reduce the gas taxes and let cities figure it out for themselves.
Actually, the best way to sponsor this would be to create a modest pool fund, then run a pilot project whereby additional monies are given to cities for said project, provided that:
1. The monies will be earmarked for transit
2. Will be directed toward light rail or hybrid buses, and
3. The city in question performs and passes a financial audit of their operations, including transit operations.
I can tell you almost for certain that Edmonton wouldn't pass this audit.
hwacker @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:11 pm
Avro Avro:
Toronto is the only city in North America to have zero state or federal funding for transit. Mike Harris being the great contributer to infastsructure had a partial subway line filled in. Toronto's transit is a joke from being one of the worlds best to the laughing stock. Anybody here ever travel on European transit? It would open your eyes.
If you like it so much move there.
bootlegga @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:17 pm
Avro Avro:
Toronto is the only city in North America to have zero state or federal funding for transit. Mike Harris being the great contributer to infastsructure had a partial subway line filled in. Toronto's transit is a joke from being one of the worlds best to the laughing stock. Anybody here ever travel on European transit? It would open your eyes.
I agree that European (and Japanese) rail systems are far superior ro anything in North America, but they have the advatanges of both high populations and small geographical areas to serve. If I had a nickel for every foreign exchange student who lamented our poor train/bus system, I'd be very rich. I don't see any Canadian city having a subway system similar to Tokyo/London/Paris simply due to size. Those cities all have a much larger population.
Still, I'd love to see some federal funding for transit systems. Calgary got a fair chunk before the 1988 Olympics and that system is far better than Edmonton's. The problem a lot of people have with it (at least here in Edmonton), is that the LRT doesn't go anywhere except downtown and the university from the NE quadrant of the city. If we had the system that Calgary has (which reaches into all four quadrants, we'd have much higher ridership.
Clogeroo @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:22 pm
Why can't the provinces administer their own taxes for petrol and the federal government abstain from taxing its consumption? I would rather have my money go to Victoria than to Ottawa any day.
ridenrain @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:22 pm
never mind. More bitching won't help.
Arctic_Menace @ Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:23 pm
Ottawa needed LRT baaaad, but our stupid City Council and Mayor scrapped the project. Now, the redevelopment of Rockliffe Airbase is in jeopardy, we have no plan to deal with traffic increase in the next 10 years(the O-Train was that plan), and we now have to deal with the possibility of a lawsuit and years of wasted money... 