Shahroze Rauf | News Editor
Featured Image: Transit tops the FCM’s wishlist for the 2019 federal elections. | Excalibur Publications
For big city mayors, including Toronto’s John Tory, transit will be their priority when looking at candidates and policies in the current federal election.
The 2019 Canadian federal election kicked-off last Wednesday, September 11 as competing parties in the race for the prime minister’s seat began campaigning. Several days before that, on Sunday, September 8, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) met to discuss a 10-year federal transit plan scheduled to expire in 2027.
FCM President Bill Karsten says that municipal leaders are standing with Canadians in terms of public transit issues.
Through a news release by the FCM last Thursday, Karsten says, “We understand their daily challenges, and we make the most of limited tools to build solutions—from faster commutes, to more affordable housing, to more climate-resilient neighbourhoods. And we’re showing the federal parties how to work with us to significantly improve people’s quality of life.”
The FCM hopes that the federal government will create a permanent system to fund public transit. This funding would help in cutting transit fare and decreasing commute times.
Many students agree with funding for public transit in the GTA. Aside from the transit changes students suffered from at the York University Keele campus, the transit system in general is not the best.
“We need more subways instead of street cars,” says second-year Journalism student at Seneca College, Caroline Petrucci. “We live in a cold climate and it snows way too much.”
“It takes a hell of a long time, for example the Eglinton LRT. It causes a ton of traffic congestion,” adds second-year Journalism student at Seneca College, David Dennis. “The idea of having more subways is great. But practically, I think having more accessible transit, like LRT’s, which connect directly to schools would be much more beneficial.”
Aside from transit issues, the FCM listed many other issues they would like the federal government to remedy after this year’s election. These issues ranged from housing affordability, which is a huge problem in the GTA, to funding for climate adaptation and establishing a better internet system for rural areas north of the GTA.
“All the federal parties are telling people they have the best plan to build better lives. As the frontline order of government, that’s what municipalities do every single day,” Karsten says. “This election, we urge Canadians to think about who’s best placed to make their lives better—and how federal parties will empower their local leaders to deliver the results they want.”
The Federal Elections campaigns began last Wednesday, September 11. Since then, competing parties have declared their promises and policies on many issues, but they have yet to release a concrete plan for public transit across the country as a direct response to the FCM’s wishlist.
“This platform is a roadmap for how municipalities of all sizes can work together with the next federal government to build better lives for Canadians,” says Toronto Mayor John Tory. “The FCM’s plan would modernize how governments work together to get more done for Canadians. Better roads, transit, housing—these are things everyone can get behind.”
