North Vancouver - Liberal Candidate Jonathan Wilkinson raises concerns regarding empty promises from Conservatives on transportation infrastructure.
The Conservatives decided to release their platform on a Friday afternoon before the Thanksgiving long weekend. They had hoped perhaps that Canadians wouldn’t notice the spending cuts their plan proposes to make - including reducing planned infrastructure investments by $18 billion.
These infrastructure cuts are very significant and come at a time when experts, including the President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, have articulated the urgent need for increased infrastructure investment in Canada. “Proposed measures in [the Conservative] platform appear to move in the opposite direction, with fewer infrastructure dollars available year-over-year to create jobs, improve roads and bridges, and maintain the local services Canadians rely on,” they said.
In communities like North Vancouver, which face particularly acute transportation challenges, these cuts will hit close to home. As noted by the Mayors Council Chair, Jonathan Cote, these cuts are likely to delay or cancel the development and expansion of already planned SkyTrain projects to Surrey and along Broadway. They will also impact potential future rapid transit projects such as a proposed rapid transit line to the North Shore.
Currently our federal government, in partnership with the Province of BC and the City of North Vancouver are funding studies examining the technical and economic feasibility of rapid transit routes to the North Shore as well as the overall business case for such a project.
North Vancouver Conservative candidate Andrew Saxton has made much ado about his desire to build on the work our government has initiated to bring the SkyTrain to the North Shore.
How, I ask, will this be possible in light of the deep cuts that Andrew Saxton’s Conservative Party is proposing to make to infrastructure spending across the country? The answer is simple: it won’t be.
Current projects will be delayed or cancelled and future projects will be pushed off the table. Residents of North Vancouver and of the North Shore will pay the price with longer, more stressful commutes.
The Liberal Party, on the other hand, understands the important role infrastructure plays in creating jobs and strengthening communities. Building on the historic long-term investments and commitments we have made over the last four years, we are committed to continued robust spending on needed infrastructure.
I have worked actively with municipal and provincial partners to address transportation challenges and other infrastructure issues here in North Vancouver. Over the past four years we have committed over $335M for more frequent Seabus sailings, improved bus services, significant improvements to ongoing work on Highway 1 and a new wastewater treatment facility. Most recently, I announced $250,000 in federal funding for a study to develop a business case for bringing rapid transit to the North Shore.
If re-elected on October 21, I will continue to focus on improving transportation on the north shore.
Contact Information
Laura Mitchell
Campaign Manager – Team Jonathan
613-818-8437
lauramitchell.carleton@gmail.com
Heather Ritzer
Director of Communications – Team Jonathan
778-888-3455
heatherritzer@gmail.com