NDP Leader Howard Hampton today welcomed news that the provincial and federal governments will be spending more than $6-billion on long-awaited infrastructure projects across Ontario, but wondered why it took so long for the agreement to be reached.

“While New Democrats welcome today’s infrastructure announcement, municipalities across Ontario are still in an infrastructure deficit and communities are suffering because of it. Some of the projects, including highway improvements in my riding of Kenora—Rainy River, have needed government money for years,” said Hampton.

“Dalton McGuinty, Stephen Harper and their deputies could have hammered out this deal long ago. Instead we were treated to a tit for tat barrage of insults and finger-pointing between Queen’s Park and Ottawa. Ontarians were not well served by the childish antics that held up this kind of announcement.”

Hampton noted the McGuinty government’s infrastructure investment are far short of the money municipalities urgently need to replace aging roads, bridges and water systems. Hampton added that he wants to see the money flow immediately.

“We’ve often been treated to infrastructure photo-ops and made-for-television spectacles from the McGuinty government. Since the beginning of last year alone, there have been five such grand announcements. Let’s get the money flowing and the shovels in the ground,” he said.