THUNDER BAY — NDP Leader Tom Mulcair’s concrete plan for improved infrastructure like roads and bridges will bring $140 million to this region over the next 20 years, say local candidates.
“Tom’s plan to partner with municipalities to invest in strong community infrastructure will create good, skilled job opportunities here in our community,” said NDP Thunder Bay-Rainy River candidate John Rafferty.
Decades of Conservative and Liberal neglect have left Canadians increasingly irritated by crumbling roads and bridges and inadequate transit. Municipal leaders have been frustrated with complicated application forms and unnecessary wait times as they try to access federal infrastructure funds.
“Our commitment increases investment sustainably every year to grow the economy while balancing the budget,” said NDP Thunder Bay-Superior North candidate Andrew Foulds. “Long-term funding rises with inflation to provide the predictability that municipalities need.”
The plan announced today by NDP Leader Tom Mulcair includes:
increasing the direct transfers to municipalities by an additional $1.5 billion annually by the end of the first mandate. These commitments more than double the existing transfer to municipalities, bringing the total investment to $5 billion annually, and rising with inflation after the first mandate; and
creating a Better Transit Plan that will invest over $1.3 billion annually over 20 years in predictable, stable, and transparent funding directly to municipalities for their public transit priorities.
“All in, the Thunder Bay region can expect $140 million over the next 20 years for infrastructure priorities here in the community,” said Foulds. “These commitments are on top of our other planned investments in social infrastructure like housing and creating childcare spaces, which will be detailed in the coming weeks.”
