Families worried that Ford’s cuts mean even less for municipal transit

QUEEN'S PARK – Ontario NDP Transit Critic Jessica Bell issued the following statement in response to the annual municipal transit funding allocation, which failed to confirm whether a planned funding increase for municipal transit would go ahead as planned later this year.

“The Ford government has refused to commit to stable, long-term funding for transit, or even to commit to the modest increases in future years that were already promised.

We want Ford to not only commit to the funding that transit authorities are already counting on, but also to realize that the status quo isn’t good enough. Toronto and municipalities throughout the province desperately need to make transit less crowded, more convenient and more affordable. People are tired of waiting while full streetcar after full streetcar passes them, and they’re tired of cramming themselves into already-full subway cars.

This problem started when the last Conservative government cut the 50-50 funding arrangement the province had with municipalities for transit operations. For 15 long years, the Liberals refused to reverse the cut. Now, it looks like Ford could make things even worse for commuters.

All of us who take the train, bus, streetcar or subway deserve better.”