Patrick Brown spoke to the Ontario Road Builders Association where he made a number of false statements about the province. Facts Still Matter in Ontario, especially when it comes to the historic amount of transportation infrastructure being built right now across the province.
He said: “I believe we’ve seen lip service to infrastructure over the last 10 years but we’re not seeing shovels in the ground”
Fact: Here are some pictures of shovels in the ground
Eglinton LRT
Spadina Subway Extension
Waterloo LRT
Highway 404 Extension
(Source: http://m.thecrosstown.ca/Text-Summary-Eglinton-Crosstown-Update?device=mobile)
(Source: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2012/07/work-progressing-stations-spadina-subway-extension)
(Source: http://www.bluestarconstruction.ca/operations-services/projects/404-2/)
He said: “You go to Gujarat, you think you’re on Canadian roads. They’ve really invested in Infrastructure. No wonder they’ve seen their economy grow. No wonder Gujarat was leading India in job growth.”
Fact: The next time he wants to make this point he’s welcome to use Ontario as an example. It’s no coincidence that our government is making the largest infrastructure investment in Ontario’s history and leading the G7 in economic growth.
(Source: https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario, http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/ecaccts/)
He said: “We want to make sure that historic infrastructure 130 billion is actually spent on infrastructure not spent simply on, on promises, on press releases”
Fact: Cost of the new GO station in Richmond Hill: $22 million, cost of the press release announcing it was open: $0, cost of catching Patrick Brown making up facts: priceless
He said: “We have become the capital of red tape in North America”
Fact: The CFIB nominated has nominated the Ontario government for its golden scissors award for cutting red tape 3 years in a row. This year the government received two nominations.
(Source: http://www.cfib-fcei.ca/english/article/4786-cfib-announces-golden-scissors-award-finalists.html)
He said: “Projects need to start within mandate… It’s an insincere commitment promising something for 2019 or 2031”
Fact: Meaningful projects take longer than 4 years to build. If Patrick Brown won’t build anything that takes longer than 4 years that means he wouldn’t build any new subways or LRT’s.
(Source: http://vivanext.com/blog/2009/12/01/the-spadina-subway-extension-moves-forward/)
He said: “The biggest announcement was for Hydro One, government said we’d get money for infrastructure. Of the first $4 billion sold, 0 went into infrastructure, money has been diverted to general revenue”
Fact: All of this money went into the Trillium Trust to be spent on projects like like GO Regional Express Rail, Mississauga and Hamilton LRT’s and the recently announced natural gas expansion.
(Source: https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2015/04/the-trillium-trust-and-moving-ontario-forward.html, https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2017/01/expanding-natural-gas-to-more-communities-across-ontario.html)
For the Silo, Alana Kiteley.
Open letter to the Minister of Transportation
Feb. 27, 2018
Hon. Kathryn McGarry
Ministry of Transportation
Ferguson Block 3rd Flr,
77 Wellesley St W,
Toronto, ON
M7A 1Z8
Ms. McGarry:
I am writing today to follow up on questions asked in the Ontario Legislature in regards to the stretch of Highway 6 between Hagersville and Caledonia.
As you are aware from our past communications, there are huge issues with the state of Highway 6 in my riding. My office receives numerous complaints about the highway daily, and receives several calls and e-mails in regards to vehicle damage.
I wish to share with you an e-mail which articulates how bad things are getting on Highway 6: “I was driving along highway 6 with my children in my van when the truck in front of me hit one of these pot holes and threw a large chunk of asphalt up and it hit my window. The result was a very large impact mark and a crack stretching from one side of the window to the other. I should also mention that this not only scared me, it scared my children! This could have come through the window and killed one of us! This is completely unacceptable and a danger as I have indicated above. Placing a sign that states the road is rough is not an acceptable alternative to repairing this immediately. My husband has been taken off work on a medical leave and has no income and I work part time as a bus driver. There is no room in the extremely tight budget to repair a window that should never have been damaged in the first place!”
My staff provided this resident with information on the damage claim process, but she, and I, have concerns about the safety and well-being of residents with the road in such poor shape. Can you assure me anyone who has damage to their vehicle will be compensated?
I also have concerns in regards to the secrecy surrounding the reconstruction of Highway 6. Complaints started close to a year ago, and my office has been asking questions since that time. Only when the situation reached a crisis in January were details about the archeological findings shared with my office. I actually learned more details of what was going on in the local paper. Can you tell me why the secrecy? Why are details of what is happening with the reconstruction not being shared with the sitting MPP for the area?
Can you share further details regarding the process for tendering and anticipated construction start date so I can share this with residents?
I look forward to your response.
Thank you,
Toby Barrett, MPP
Haldimand-Norfolk