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The city scored a transit hat trick this week, with the federal and provincial governments — as well as the National Capital Commission — all nudging the city’s $3-billion second phase of light rail closer to reality.
“It has been a very good week for public transit and for the people who use public transit in the city of Ottawa,” Mayor Jim Watson told reporters shortly after the provincial budget was tabled Thursday.
Tuesday’s federal budget included a new public transit fund, which will permanently provide $1 billion a year starting in 2019. It’s thought that the dedicated fund is aimed at significant transit projects in Canada’s big cities. On Wednesday, the NCC board of directors unanimously approved the city’s preferred LRT route through federal lands in the Westboro area, “putting an end to years of uncertainty,” said Watson.
And Thursday’s provincial budget “identifies Ottawa’s transit needs as a key priority moving forward,” according to the mayor.
That’s not exactly what the provincial budget says. The document talks about how the province will design new transit programs “to prioritize and evaluate infrastructure needs based on their economic, social and environmental returns.” It goes on to say that “potential projects could include investments in municipal rapid transit projects in Ottawa.”
While that isn’t technically a guarantee that the province will fund Phase 2 of LRT, when combined with the fact that Liberals have publicly promised to support the project in the past, Ottawa’s shoutout in the budget appears to be a promising sign.
The Liberal government announced the creation of a $29-billion dedicated transit fund in 2014, but increased it this year to $31.5 billion with $15 billion earmarked for projects outside the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The additional funds will come from the sale and partial sale of government assets, such as parts of Hydro One.
Ottawa is looking for the federal and provincial governments to split the $3-billion cost of Phase 2 of LRT three ways. Watson said earlier this week that the city plans to submit its formal request for funds to both levels of government this summer.
While transit infrastructure was the big news out of the budget, Watson told reporters that he’s still pushing for a “fair arbitration system” in determining the salaries of the municipality’s first responders.
Under the current system, salary increases have been based on a conceived ability for the employer to pay. As first responders’ employers are municipal governments, critics argue that many arbitration decisions have resulted in pay hikes that are too high.
Watson also said he’s glad that the province is “getting on with it” when it comes to expanding the sales of beer, and would like to see Ontario craft brews and VQA wines get even a bigger helping hand if international trade rules allow.
jchianello@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/jchianello
查看原文...
“It has been a very good week for public transit and for the people who use public transit in the city of Ottawa,” Mayor Jim Watson told reporters shortly after the provincial budget was tabled Thursday.
Tuesday’s federal budget included a new public transit fund, which will permanently provide $1 billion a year starting in 2019. It’s thought that the dedicated fund is aimed at significant transit projects in Canada’s big cities. On Wednesday, the NCC board of directors unanimously approved the city’s preferred LRT route through federal lands in the Westboro area, “putting an end to years of uncertainty,” said Watson.
And Thursday’s provincial budget “identifies Ottawa’s transit needs as a key priority moving forward,” according to the mayor.
That’s not exactly what the provincial budget says. The document talks about how the province will design new transit programs “to prioritize and evaluate infrastructure needs based on their economic, social and environmental returns.” It goes on to say that “potential projects could include investments in municipal rapid transit projects in Ottawa.”
While that isn’t technically a guarantee that the province will fund Phase 2 of LRT, when combined with the fact that Liberals have publicly promised to support the project in the past, Ottawa’s shoutout in the budget appears to be a promising sign.
The Liberal government announced the creation of a $29-billion dedicated transit fund in 2014, but increased it this year to $31.5 billion with $15 billion earmarked for projects outside the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The additional funds will come from the sale and partial sale of government assets, such as parts of Hydro One.
Ottawa is looking for the federal and provincial governments to split the $3-billion cost of Phase 2 of LRT three ways. Watson said earlier this week that the city plans to submit its formal request for funds to both levels of government this summer.
While transit infrastructure was the big news out of the budget, Watson told reporters that he’s still pushing for a “fair arbitration system” in determining the salaries of the municipality’s first responders.
Under the current system, salary increases have been based on a conceived ability for the employer to pay. As first responders’ employers are municipal governments, critics argue that many arbitration decisions have resulted in pay hikes that are too high.
Watson also said he’s glad that the province is “getting on with it” when it comes to expanding the sales of beer, and would like to see Ontario craft brews and VQA wines get even a bigger helping hand if international trade rules allow.
jchianello@ottawacitizen.com
twitter.com/jchianello
查看原文...
