Remarks by Mayor Lastman to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Urban Issues
October 10, 2001

Members of parliament Judy Sgro, Alan Tonks, Byron Wilfred, Toronto City Councillors, ladies and gentlemen.

You're about to hear about some of the challenges facing Toronto. You'll hear about the need for infrastructure funding, affordable housing, and social programs. You'll hear about the need for the federal government to take responsibility for refugee claimants, and the cost of caring for our less fortunate children and seniors.

I'm not going to talk about these things. And I'm not going to talk about the need for cities like Toronto to be recognized by the federal government, either.

All of these things are important to Toronto - but even more important is the need for your government to live up to its election promise of funding for transit.

Page 26 of the Liberal Red Book claims:

"Public transit systems that allow for easy movement of people and goods are vital to the economic and environmental health of all cities.

Business and municipal leaders, urban planners, and environmentalists agree that there is an urgent need for reinvestment in public transit.

A new liberal government will work with the provincial and the municipal partners to help improve public transit infrastructure."

My interpretation of that passage is that your government recognizes that the TTC is a vital service and that there is an urgent need for you to help us improve it.

Transportation Minister David Collenette had a different interpretation when he spoke to the Toronto Star in June.

He said, and I quote again, that "the problems facing transportation in Toronto have been caused by provincial downloading."

"My advice to Queen's Park," he said, "is you fix the problem, you put back the money you took out, and then we'll talk."

Well the province has committed to put back the money.

Premier Mike Harris has pledged $110 million a year for the next ten years.

But I'm still waiting for Ottawa to step up to the plate.

Under different circumstances, I'd take your government to task for this. I'd insist that you live up to the promises you made to Toronto's taxpayers; I'd demand that you show me the money.

But the world has changed in the last month and it's more important than ever that we all work together.

So instead of berating you, I'm going to try and convince you that it makes good business sense to invest in transit.

Toronto is the economic engine of the country - but grid lock is sucking $2 billion a year out of our potential.

Cars and trucks are sitting idle in traffic instead of delivering goods and services to the public.

Without a massive cash infusion into transit, that number will continue to grow.

Every year, the provincial and federal governments take $4 billion more out of Toronto's economy than they put back in.

In the past, I've advocated that Ottawa give back a portion of the GST. Or the gas tax. Or the liquor tax or the tobacco tax. Anything to give us a sustainable source of revenue.

I'm not asking for all of the $4 billion back.

As the largest city in the country, its part of our responsibility to help the less affluent and we do it gladly.

But if you want to ensure that $4 billion is still there next year and the year after that and the year after that, you're going to have to spend some of it here – and the first place you should be spending it is on public transit.

My colleagues will applaud your efforts to examine the challenges and the opportunities facing Canada's major cities.

They all look forward to working with the federal government in strengthening the quality of life in our major urban centres.

I look forward working with you too – but I hope we start by working together on a long-term solution to fund public transit in Toronto.

Thank you.