Tory Calls on Leadership from Key GTHA Elected Officials to Accelerate Transportation Investment

TORONTO, April 29, 2013 /CNW/ - CivicAction Chair John Tory told an audience at today's gathering of the Empire Club of Canada that after decades of growth and inaction, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Region must "urgently address our transit deficit now", and delivered bold advice to the leaders of the City of Toronto and Province on what they need to do to make that happen.

Tory highlighted the need to implement specific funding sources to build this much needed system, as has been done in jurisdictions across the globe. Tory, along with CivicAction's CEO Mitzie Hunter and 45-member regional transportation champions council, launched the next phase of their Your32 campaign at the April 17 CivicAction Forum. It calls on residents and elected officials to join together to pledge their support for new sources for investment in transportation that are dedicated, efficient, transparent & accountable, regional, fair and sustainable.

Tory also had advice for both Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Premier Kathleen Wynne. To Ford, Tory called for an immediate City Council debate on "how to pay for the transit he agrees we need". It is time the Mayor specifically outlines his detailed alternative to new revenue tools.

To Wynne, Tory called for detail on how new revenues collected will be kept accountable and dedicated to transportation. Safeguards for taxpayers are needed because of voter skepticism caused by recent misuse of tax dollars. The provincial government must do more "than it has done to erase the stench of past mismanagement and incompetence."

Tory called for further action in ending political gamesmanship around the very important transportation issue at both City Hall and Queen's Park.

To see the full text of the speech, visit: www.civicaction.ca/media.

About CivicAction's Your32 campaign
CivicAction's campaign aims to build support for a better regional transportation system and the need for new sustainable ways to pay for it. CivicAction and its 50+ team of civic Champions and Regional Co-Captains has asked people what they would do with an extra 32 minutes** in their day. This next phase asks what they would do for an extra 32 minutes a day. For more information, visit www.your32.com.

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships with organizations, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

SOURCE: CivicAction