Cobra
Senior Member
***Posting this here to as it's relevant and the closest thread to link funding and politics
With the poll stating that Conservatives and Liberals are dead even in Toronto, Wynne might have to overdo it on the transit file to secure Toronto as transit is the #1 issue in the city and other urban centers. I predict a new package deal on transit to get reelected as despite all the projects going on right now, she would be beaten if she doesn't announce more. Like the Feds, she will target urban votes and with the Federal Government Infrastructure Program covering 50% of capital costs of the following: Public Transit projects, Social housing & Green Infrastructure, she will have more cash to cover more *new* projects as it's in Ottawa's interest to keep Wynne in power.
Assuming the ship has sailed for projects already under construction, this list of projects that are planned but unfunded will get that subsidy from the Federal Government. Some of those projects are part of the Big move project from Metrolinx and having this Federal subsidy will free more funds to be reinvested in new projects. In fact, most (if not all) of the LRT projects are paid 100% by Queen's Park and with the Federal Liberals needing to keep Wynne put, it gives both parties the opportunity to help each other which includes accepting the LRT projects under the Big move to be funded as well by Ottawa as they are shovel ready. I saw the skepticism on the thread but the Infrastructure program IS HAPPENING. The Infrastructure bank is being set up and Ottawa's already planning to fund up to $189B of new infrastructure. Ottawa needs to spend it to stimulate the economy and secure the next cycle of urban votes while the province needs more money to fund more new infrastructure in the vote rich urban areas.
Expect the Federal Liberals to help her sell this new wave of project based on their program as the question of "how will you pay for all of this" will come up. She can't/won't campaign on raising taxes and implementing new revenue tools (most likely if she wins), she will need to use that program as a crutch to make her numbers stick and not be required to go even more further into debt. At this point, copying what the Feds did is her only way out which if we recall, got them elected over the other parties promising to balance the budget and cut. This might work on rural/suburb areas but cities massively rejected that...even Calgary! Her only hope are Ontario's Urban areas votes. If going in further debt to undertake massive infrastructure investments to stimulate the economy gives her a chance to win, she will go all in and hope cities will do the same and hammer that the PC will stop everything.
The $189B Infrastructure Fund is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now's the time to take full advantage of it even if it means to go into debt while the interest rates are very low. A PC Government would be a disaster as if they cut back on spending,, they would be ineligible to have access to those funds.
Potential Package deal for reelection (New unfunded projects)
Toronto
O-Train LRT Phase II: Ottawa
Dundas Street Rapid Transit: Mississauga
Brampton LRT: Yep, they will be getting it back
Ion Phase II: Tri-City Area
HSR Ontario Ottawa-Kingston-GTA-London-Windsor: This is a huge way to capture the vote along the corridor. I expect both the Province and Federal Government to partner on this which will help Wynne.
Hamilton: Some or the remaining lines of the BLAST Network with the T line being on top after the A & B Line
With the poll stating that Conservatives and Liberals are dead even in Toronto, Wynne might have to overdo it on the transit file to secure Toronto as transit is the #1 issue in the city and other urban centers. I predict a new package deal on transit to get reelected as despite all the projects going on right now, she would be beaten if she doesn't announce more. Like the Feds, she will target urban votes and with the Federal Government Infrastructure Program covering 50% of capital costs of the following: Public Transit projects, Social housing & Green Infrastructure, she will have more cash to cover more *new* projects as it's in Ottawa's interest to keep Wynne in power.
Assuming the ship has sailed for projects already under construction, this list of projects that are planned but unfunded will get that subsidy from the Federal Government. Some of those projects are part of the Big move project from Metrolinx and having this Federal subsidy will free more funds to be reinvested in new projects. In fact, most (if not all) of the LRT projects are paid 100% by Queen's Park and with the Federal Liberals needing to keep Wynne put, it gives both parties the opportunity to help each other which includes accepting the LRT projects under the Big move to be funded as well by Ottawa as they are shovel ready. I saw the skepticism on the thread but the Infrastructure program IS HAPPENING. The Infrastructure bank is being set up and Ottawa's already planning to fund up to $189B of new infrastructure. Ottawa needs to spend it to stimulate the economy and secure the next cycle of urban votes while the province needs more money to fund more new infrastructure in the vote rich urban areas.
Expect the Federal Liberals to help her sell this new wave of project based on their program as the question of "how will you pay for all of this" will come up. She can't/won't campaign on raising taxes and implementing new revenue tools (most likely if she wins), she will need to use that program as a crutch to make her numbers stick and not be required to go even more further into debt. At this point, copying what the Feds did is her only way out which if we recall, got them elected over the other parties promising to balance the budget and cut. This might work on rural/suburb areas but cities massively rejected that...even Calgary! Her only hope are Ontario's Urban areas votes. If going in further debt to undertake massive infrastructure investments to stimulate the economy gives her a chance to win, she will go all in and hope cities will do the same and hammer that the PC will stop everything.
The $189B Infrastructure Fund is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now's the time to take full advantage of it even if it means to go into debt while the interest rates are very low. A PC Government would be a disaster as if they cut back on spending,, they would be ineligible to have access to those funds.
Potential Package deal for reelection (New unfunded projects)
Toronto
- Relief Line Long: Downtown Toronto & North York
- Waterfront LRT (Including the Reset): Downtown Toronto & Etobicoke
- Crosstown West: Etobicoke
- Bloor-Danforth Subway Extension (including Crosstown East): Scarborough (1 more station: Sheppard): The current price tag doesn't take into account the Federal Infrastructure program. Once shovel ready, Queen's Park will submit it and get the Feds to pay half. With the extra funds saved by the province, pushing the extension to Sheppard-McCowan is a very real possibility. After the tolls backstabbing job, they owe Tory and he's in need of rescuing in this file. The ridership drastically dropped when Sheppard got cut. Adding Sheppard would bring the ridership up and get more support.
- Sheppard West: North York
- Sheppard East: Scarborough: The LRT being cancelled is a no brainer. It's under the old deal where the Feds contributes only $333M. Cancelling it and resubmitting it as it's shovel ready would boost the funding to half the cost. The Liberals being starved for votes will make it a subway to meet Line 2 at McCowan instead of STC
O-Train LRT Phase II: Ottawa
Dundas Street Rapid Transit: Mississauga
Brampton LRT: Yep, they will be getting it back
Ion Phase II: Tri-City Area
HSR Ontario Ottawa-Kingston-GTA-London-Windsor: This is a huge way to capture the vote along the corridor. I expect both the Province and Federal Government to partner on this which will help Wynne.
Hamilton: Some or the remaining lines of the BLAST Network with the T line being on top after the A & B Line
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