Provincial Transit Funding

[MetroMan]

The election is coming and finally -- for the first time in 3 elections -- a party has offered to reinstate the full 50-50 operating funding for transit:

Stall TTC cuts, says Horwath

New Democrats have promised to match municipal transit operating subsidies if transit systems freeze fares for four years.

“It’s a financial burden that could use some relief,” Horwath added, noting her promise would cost about $375 million a year — with $225 million of that going to the TTC.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Liberals will bite:

Liberal MPP Kathleen Wynne, who most recently served as transportation minister, took issue with Horwath’s promise of immediate funding if elected.

Of course Hudak is also out. Do you think this can become a major election issue? If so, will the Liberals come back to offer the same? We need a popular campaign to continue to push this so that it's talked about during the election. TTCriders where are you?

 

[gweed123]

I think the best outcome (not in terms of seats, but in terms of strategy) we could have right now is a Liberal Minority with an NDP backing. Mostly the same policies as before, but I would hope that the NDP would choose two or three issues to strong-arm the Liberals on. Hopefully one of those is transit.

 

[MetroMan]

^ Agreed. I've liked McGuinty as Premier but I feel that he's moving too slow on correcting the wrongs of amalgamation. 2 full terms should have been enough time to take action on measures such as uploading costs of what should be provincial services (daycare for example) and while he's made a major investment in transit infrastructure, I'd like to see the province return to paying 50-50 on operating costs. In lieu of that, uploading all the TTC's capital expenses would be welcome.

 

[doady]

The proposed service cuts for the TTC don't have much to do with provincial government. It's just a problem made in Toronto by Rob Ford and co. The government of Ontario shouldn't be in the business bailing out the bad decision-making of Toronto voters and the politicians they elect. Yes, the provincial government should be funding transit more, but it doesn't excuse what is happening transit-wise in Toronto right now.

 

[gweed123]

The proposed service cuts for the TTC don't have much to do with provincial government. It's just a problem made in Toronto by Rob Ford and co. The government of Ontario shouldn't be in the business bailing out the bad decision-making of Toronto voters and the politicians they elect. Yes, the provincial government should be funding transit more, but it doesn't excuse what is happening transit-wise in Toronto right now.

I agree. But down the road this may be a good opportunity to start uploading transit agencies. Yep, you heard that right. How I envision it working is the Province mandates that X% of the City's capital budget must go towards transit, but the transit is managed and run by the Province, under Metrolinx. I would imagine it would be somewhere around a 50-50% split between Provincial and municipal funding.

This would generate two important benefits:

1) It would consolidate all of the local transit systems into 1 agency, reducing overlap and waste.
2) It would remove transit from the political hotseat, and therefore allows for more stable funding and deployment.

 

[rbt]

2 full terms should have been enough time to take action on measures such as uploading costs of what should be provincial services (daycare for example).

He fully uploaded 100% of 4 and 5 year-old day care as of September under the name of all-day kindergarten including care of facilities, etc.

While that isn't everybody, it is noticeable portion of those that use day care.

 

[k10ery]

He fully uploaded 100% of 4 and 5 year-old day care as of September under the name of all-day kindergarten including care of facilities, etc.

While that isn't everybody, it is noticeable portion of those that use day care.

Allay kindergarten is way more than uploading. Most people who use daycare don't get the subsidy. So this is a massive subsidy to the middle class.

Way off topic but I can't help replying.

 

[TOareaFan]

Allay kindergarten is way more than uploading. Most people who use daycare don't get the subsidy. So this is a massive subsidy to the middle class.

Way off topic but I can't help replying.

All day kindergarten was, by far, not the top thing this province needed and was very expensive in terms of money and in other things that could be done with the money. It did, however, do two important things....it makes the Libs look "nice" to the people who benefit and people who are "pro education" (as if anyone isn't) and, more importantly, continues his path of doing whatever he can to keep fulfilling that promise of Labour peace in the education sector.....he ain't a bad premier, but his constant bowing to the education unions is gonna cost us a lot of money for a lot of years!

 

[Tuscani01]

All day kindergarten was, by far, not the top thing this province needed and was very expensive in terms of money and in other things that could be done with the money. It did, however, do two important things....it makes the Libs look "nice" to the people who benefit and people who are "pro education" (as if anyone isn't) and, more importantly, continues his path of doing whatever he can to keep fulfilling that promise of Labour peace in the education sector.....he ain't a bad premier, but his constant bowing to the education unions is gonna cost us a lot of money for a lot of years!

Not to mention all day kindergarten also helps with the whole daycare issue for many parents.

 

[nfitz]

Not to mention all day kindergarten also helps with the whole daycare issue for many parents.

For those of us who prefer to raise our children ourselves though ... it seems rather unnecessary for a 3-year old to be in school all-day.

Mine is JK age ... and we opted to keep her in pre-school for another year ... or two. So she gets the socialization without the huge class sizes and structure. (though none of the TDSB schools in our neighbourhood have indicated that they will be starting JK anytime soon).

 

[TOareaFan]

Not to mention all day kindergarten also helps with the whole daycare issue for many parents.

Yes....how did any parents ever get their kids to grade 1 before without the aid of the very expensive, government paid day care workers? It is surprising we got this far!

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

For those of us who prefer to raise our children ourselves though ... it seems rather unnecessary for a 3-year old to be in school all-day.

Right, which is why the all-day kindergarten is optional for those who want/need it.

It's also worth mentioning that while there are some things that should definitely be uploaded - social housing and daycare come to mind - the Liberals have uploaded a bunch of stuff they agreed too in a deal with AMO. It's Hudak implying he might not finish off the outer years of the deal that doesn't bode well.

I'd like to think how we fund transit would be a substantial issue in the election but it looks like so far this one is entirely about whether or not we need "change" on principle and, to a lesser extent, those terrible foreign workers. That's the modern political campaign for you....

 

[gweed123]

Right, which is why the all-day kindergarten is optional for those who want/need it.

It's also worth mentioning that while there are some things that should definitely be uploaded - social housing and daycare come to mind - the Liberals have uploaded a bunch of stuff they agreed too in a deal with AMO. It's Hudak implying he might not finish off the outer years of the deal that doesn't bode well.

I'd like to think how we fund transit would be a substantial issue in the election but it looks like so far this one is entirely about whether or not we need "change" on principle and, to a lesser extent, those terrible foreign workers. That's the modern political campaign for you....

When you have very little to offer in the way of positive change, you need to come up with wedge issues ("foreign workers", publicizing the sex offender registry, etc) in order to play on people's emotions. Wave the left hand around so no one sees the hacksaw in the right hand.

McGuinty has been slipping into this pattern too, although his criticisms have at least been on topics like healthcare and green energy, things that affect more than 1% of the population. Most of what he has been running on so far has been his achievements, granted he has conveniently ignored the not-so-good parts.

 

[EnviroTO]

Yes....how did any parents ever get their kids to grade 1 before without the aid of the very expensive, government paid day care workers? It is surprising we got this far!

Unfortunately with the change from single income families to dual income families the cost of living shot up to absorb the extra income due to basic supply and demand. Dual income families have also driven up the cost of day care. For most it is quite difficult on a single income to afford to send a child to day care.

The foreign worker issue being a hot issue is silly. A one time credit for their first job... that makes perfect sense to me. The cost of these people being unemployed, in government training, getting social assistance, or even simply being underemployed and paying less taxes is a far greater burden. One year of an average paying job would more than pay back the investment. I have had a number of people tell me that a reoccurring theme in their interviews when applying for their first job in Canada was getting declined due to a lack of Canadian experience. This policy shows a clear understanding of that fact and the cost associated with that obstacle to society.

 

[nfitz]

Right, which is why the all-day kindergarten is optional for those who want/need it.

Kindergarten has always been optional. Heck, any grade is optional, as long as you educate your kids somehow ... kids can learn the important parts of the curriculum of most grades in a handful of weeks if they want.