Discussion · Government Orders
Maxime Blanchette-Joncas Bloc Québécois
“Toronto has a big public transit problem because people cannot afford to live near downtown. The government cut billions of dollars from public transit funding. I want the member to explain how her government can claim to support public transit after these cuts.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke to us about the importance of Toronto, which receives a large number of visitors. She mentioned $28 million per year. However, the problem in Toronto, aside from the housing crisis, is the mobility crisis. People can no longer even afford to buy houses right downtown. They have to move to the suburbs, yet the federal government cut $5 billion from the Canada public transit fund in its latest budget. Moreover, in the most recent economic update, the $3 billion that had been allocated is no longer earmarked for the Canada public transit fund, but has instead been folded into the generalized funding pot for infrastructure. I would like my colleague to tell us frankly, for the benefit of the people she represents, whether she truly believes her government is supporting public transit when it cuts funding and reallocates dedicated public transit funding to infrastructure in general.”
Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke to us about the importance of Toronto, which receives a large number of visitors. She mentioned $28 million per year. However, the problem in Toronto, aside from the housing crisis, is the mobility crisis. People can no longer even afford to buy houses right downtown. They have to move to the suburbs, yet the federal government cut $5 billion from the Canada public transit fund in its latest budget. Moreover, in the most recent economic update, the $3 billion that had been allocated is no longer earmarked for the Canada public transit fund, but has instead been folded into the generalized funding pot for infrastructure. I would like my colleague to tell us frankly, for the benefit of the people she represents, whether she truly believes her government is supporting public transit when it cuts funding and reallocates dedicated public transit funding to infrastructure in general.