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NEW DEMOCRATS CALL FOR CLEAN TRANSIT FUNDING

OTTAWA – Tired of waiting for Toronto area Liberal Members of Parliament to take action for improved public transit in their city, three nominated New Democrat federal candidates took the call for a clean and efficient public rail line along the Georgetown corridor to the Minister of Transport Tuesday.

“There are 22 Members of Parliament from Toronto, and the two New Democrats have been the only ones to take real action on the number one issue that the future of the city depends upon – Transit,” said Parkdale – High Park candidate Peggy Nash. “This lack of representation likely explains why Toronto has one of the few big city transit systems in the world without stable operating funding from its federal government.”

Nash, along with Davenport candidate Andrew Cash and Mike Sullivan from York South-Weston met with Minister Baird Tuesday on behalf of the communities they hope to represent to request federal investment in electric rail infrastructure instead of the current provincial plan to drastically increase the use and dependence on diesel engines will be put into use.

“Unlike diesel, electric trains are clean, quiet, and fast for both a greener future and a more efficient transportation system,” said Sullivan. “Diesel trains are also heavy, noisy and terribly disruptive to the communities through which they pass.”

The rail line travels through twelve Toronto neighbourhoods which are home to more than 300,000 people. There are 76 schools, 96 daycare centres and 4 long term care facilities, including a chronic respiratory care hospital, within a kilometre of the tracks.

“Torontonians are already choking on smog and asthma puffers have become a common childhood accessory,” said Cash. “We don’t believe that the health of our neighbours and our children should be sacrificed in this way. The federal government has the ability to step-in and help make electric rail in Toronto a reality. We are hopeful they will.”

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