Ontario Construction News staff writer
Mayors and Chairs from the 11 largest municipal governments across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area are urging the federal and provincial governments to continue transit relief funding.
Big-city mayors have also met with federal minister Ahmed Hussen to tackle the housing affordability crisis and fight homelessness. Scaling-up the Rapid Housing Initiative and the Reaching Home program are key priorities.
COVID-related budget shortfalls, driven primarily by a drop in ridership across transit systems and extraordinary costs to shelter residents are causing concern for municipalities.
“Without further support, cities will soon be forced to consider service reductions, or reductions in capital budgets, both of which will be detrimental to residents as they continue to face the pandemic, and as the region’s economy recovers,” Mayors said in a news release.
The GTHA received support from both governments in 2020 and 2021.
“A vibrant economic recovery and a fair chance for many of our essential workers both require strong transit systems and fully funded capital programs across the GTHA,” the release stated.
“Cities and regions will drive that recovery and therefore it is imperative that both federal and provincial governments commit to continuing COVID-19 relief funding to municipalities on an urgent basis.”