Horwath calls for halt to TTC cuts; New Democrats will match municipal transit funding, freeze fares
NDP leader Andrea Horwath called on the City of Toronto to hit the pause button on cuts to the TTC until after the provincial election on October 6th.
“The working mom who needs to take the bus home and feed the kids needs better transit, not more cuts and higher fares,” said Horwath. “Let’s put the planned cuts and fare hikes on hold so we can look at options and alternatives and consider how important this transit system is to people.”
“In a few short weeks, people in Ontario will be electing a Premier and I believe I’m the right woman for that job,” said Horwath. “If I get it, I’ll have a mandate to bring in real support for Cities like Toronto and transit systems like the TTC. That’s a good reason to stop these cuts.”
Horwath said it makes sense to wait and see if the City of Toronto can establish a new partnership with the province after the election. A New Democrat government would match the municipal transit operating subsidy on a dollar-for-dollar basis, providing long-term, reliable operating support to municipalities. In exchange, municipalities would be required to freeze transit fares for four years. The funding would be phased in after consultation and negotiation with municipal partners.
“Cutting transit service will hurt those least able to afford alternative forms of transportation,” said Horwath. “Public transit is too important to too many people to be silent and simply let these cuts go through.”
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