Schreiner pledges to be a municipal partner in building better infrastructure

August 20, 2018

TORONTO — In his speech at the AMO conference, the leader of the Green Party of Ontario promised be a partner in making evidence-based, forward-looking decisions to benefit people and municipalities.

“Subway slogans will not build transportation infrastructure. We need a provincial government that will partner with municipalities to make decisions that put people first based on evidence and good planning,” said Schreiner.

The MPP for Guelph outlined his transit priorities, including the restoration of passenger rail service in the North; two-way, all-day GO service in the innovation corridor between Toronto-Guelph-Waterloo; LRTs in Hamilton, Mississauga and Ottawa; and funding for cycling and walking infrastructure.

“Failure to provide municipalities with the resources they need to build livable, vibrant communities will hurt our economy, our well being and our quality of life,” said Schreiner. “We will not allow the Ford government to take us backward without a fight. Greens will help municipalities build Ontario up.”

Schreiner criticized the PC government for getting out of the $7 trillion clean economy just as it is taking off by ripping up contracts and cancelling climate plans. He applauded municipalities for their innovation and pledged to be an ally of those reducing pollution and creating jobs.

Schreiner said he would oppose the gas tax cut because it will only lead to a $1.2 billion property tax increase. He pledged to help municipalities save money by pushing for new regulations to make companies cover the cost of the waste they produce.

“Ontario cannot cut our way to prosperity,” said Schreiner. “Failure to invest in innovation in our communities is bad for business, bad for prosperity, and bad for our economy and quality of life,”

Schreiner also highlighted the Green Party’s support for investing in social infrastructure such as education, healthcare and affordable housing, and in green infrastructure to protect water, farmland and natural heritage.

The Green Party leader called on the government to expand the Greenbelt to include the waterways of southern Ontario that provide drinking water for 9 million people.

“The most affordable infrastructure is green infrastructure. We cannot continue to pave over our green space and drain our water sources,” he said. “Floods are costing us billions and they will only get worse with climate change.”

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