Elections
Do you support Hamilton's plan to build an east-west light rail transit line with full provincial capital funding? If so, how will you ensure the project is funded?
Responses to the question: "Do you support Hamilton's plan to build an east-west light rail transit line with full provincial capital funding? If so, how will you ensure the project is funded?"
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15 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Barry Spruce | Maybe | Freedom Party has not had an opportunity to review the plans and proposed budget for the Hamilton Project, in principal, the party is more in favour of Private, Public Partnership models, we do not support that the various levels of government need to own and operate infrastructure items. Governments typically add cost, reduce efficiency and are slow to respond to needed changes. If the party reviewed the project in detail and validated the Business Case for it, then likely if the project went forward we would look to include a Private company as the main entity. |
| Raymond Dartsch | Yes | Yes I support it, I would see it built in stages, downtown-to-McMaster as a priority, this would spread the funding requirements over a longer period. And once Hamiltonians get a sample of what a great technology LRT is, the opposition to the rest of the project should evaporate, as happened in many US cities where LRT was introduced as a demonstration project. When LRT is up and running in Kitchener/Waterloo, Mississauga/Brampton and Ottawa, Hamiltonians will feel left out, no doubt.
|
| Ted McMeekin | Yes | Hamilton is Canada's leading community for growth and investment. That hasn't happened by accident, and I couldn't be more excited.
Some of this renaissance can be directly attributed to our government's investments in expanding two-way, all-day GO service on the Lakeshore line. We are also building a new $44 million GO station on James Street North. I have lobbied relentlessly for Hamilton and our government has delivered. Our party stands alone in its commitment to investing in improved transit in Hamilton. In our 2014 budget, we announced $15 billion in new dedicated funding for public transit in the GTHA. This includes a continuing expansion of GO service to Aldershot and Hamilton. We are committed to 100 per cent funding for base capital costs as identified in the city's Rapid Ready report. We will work with council and the community to forge a path forward, expeditiously, to ensure Hamilton keeps moving and has access to the funding available. The best transit option will be determined by council and supported by citizens. Increased funding for public transit represents a smart and long-term investment. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, improving productivity and reducing GHG emissions, each dollar invested in public transit generates three dollars in economic spin-ff. Efficient and effective transportation by definition has to be integrated, collaborative and connected. We cannot look at any plan in isolation. Our plan creates jobs, grows our economy and reduces congestion so we can spend less time commuting and more time at home with our families. |
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Bob Mann | Yes | Yes, but it is very important that the entire funding comes from the province so there is no financial burden or accumulated debt for the residents of Hamilton. It is also important that the system be operated by the HSR under public ownership and control and that the employees be represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union. |
| Donna Tiqui-Shebib | Yes | The Ontario Liberal government has pledged to fund 100 per cent of base capital costs of bringing Rapid Transit to Hamilton. This is a really significant investment in our city, and one that I'm incredibly proud of. As someone who has built a business in the heart of downtown Hamilton, I personally support an east - west LRT line.
The provincial commitment is 100 per cent funding for whatever transit system our partners at City Hall ultimately decide. |
| John Vail | No | Thanks for the questions but in my opinion they are better directed to municipal candidates as the questions relate directly to municipal issues and not to provincial issues which are jobs, the provincial economy, the provincial deficit, provincial debt reduction, and lower provincial taxes |
| Peter Ormond | Yes | Of course!!! Who doesn't? 99% do. We've been talking about Hamilton's LRT system for decades! Time to act on it, and now. This will relieve traffic congestion, slow us down, save us lots of $$$, build neighbourhoods, get cars off our roads, and allow the City of Hamilton to develop at the grassroots level, community by community. Plus we have a few things like climate change, urban sprawl and peak oil that can't be ignored any longer.
The project will be funded in a variety of ways. A conversation is required to generate the exact numbers, but at this point, we can't afford to pass the need for a mass transit system onto the next generation. Mechanisms to generate funds include a gas tax, parking fees, congestion fees, tolls, etc. Let's face it; people understand that these systems cost money. They also understand the benefits, including an improved quality of life, environment and reduced road maintenance expenses that will be involved. The savings for users will dwarf the cumulative expenses of continuing with the system as it. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road is going to reduce the mounting costs of paving and repaving roads. It's time to rethink the system! Imagine a city with fewer paves surfaces? It's inevitable. We can continue to choose the outdated 'pave-everything' habits, or use our ability to rethink and revitalize our communities through fresh approaches. With the LRT comes calmer traffic, and the ability to integrate with other active modes of transport including walking, cycling and biking. Ironically, the City of Hamilton just approved the largest urban boundary expansion in Hamilton history to develop farmland around the airport. Notice the irony? The airport, on city land, is privately operated and does NOT pay any tax on the city land used. The airport is focused on the external market, and supports the most inefficient mode of transportation - air flight. We need some of the greedy individuals in town to develop some wisdom and to start realizing that life is about what you give, not what you get. Imagine if we shifted our priorities to projects in the community that benefit the citizens? That's why we need to start voting a new Green direction. The Greens would also like to develop local RRSP bonds that can be used to invest in local infrastructure. |
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Paul Miller | Yes | The Ontario NDP has been behind the Hamilton LRT since day one and we remain committed to this essential investment for the people of Hamilton. Our plan includes full provincial funding for an LRT line from McMaster University to Eastgate Square. We will fund this plan by committing $29 billion over 10 years for transit and transportation projects in the province's existing fiscal framework. This funding is guaranteed through the allocation of 7.5 cents of the Gas Tax to a dedicated fund amongst other measures. In addition ee will further increase this funding amount by $250 million annually to kick-start priority projects, which will be funded out of general revenue. |
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Greg Lenko | Yes | Hamilton is in need of LRT not just East and West but North and South also. It is my opinion that LRT should actually travel East to West then up and across the escarpment and back down. LRT will help ease congestion on the roads and allow for safe and easy travel from one place in the city to another. The benefits far outweigh the costs in the long term. There are many ways to pay for it: gas tax, parking fees, driving tolls as well as money reallocated from elsewhere. |
| Hans Wienhold | No | I remain, as a matter of principle, opposed to any and all forms of government monopoly business enterprises. I especially dislike public mass transit for its idealization of Soviet style cattle car herding of the public as though they are nothing more than livestock. |
| Monique Taylor | Yes | Yes. The Ontario NDP has been behind the Hamilton LRT since day one and we remain committed to this essential investment for the people of Hamilton. Our plan includes full provincial funding for an LRT line from McMaster University to Eastgate Square. We
will fund this plan by committing $29 billion over 10 years for transit and transportation projects in the province's existing fiscal framework. This funding is guaranteed through the allocation of 7.5 cents of the Gas Tax to a dedicated fund among st other measures. In addition we will further increase this funding amount by $250 million annually to kick-start priority projects, which will be funded out of general revenue. |
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Basia Krzyzanowski | Yes | Of course!!! Who doesn't? 99% do. We've been talking about Hamilton's LRT system for decades! Time to act on it, and now. This will relieve traffic congestion, slow us down, save us lots of $$$, build neighbourhoods, get cars off our roads, and allow the City of Hamilton to develop at the grassroots level, community by community. Plus we have a few things like climate change, urban sprawl and peak oil that can't be ignored any longer.
The project will be funded in a variety of ways. A conversation is required to generate the exact numbers, but at this point, we can't afford to pass the need for a mass transit system onto the next generation. Mechanisms to generate funds include a gas tax, parking fees, congestion fees, tolls, etc. Let's face it; people understand that these systems cost money. They also understand the benefits, including an improved quality of life, environment and reduced road maintenance expenses that will be involved. The savings for users will dwarf the cumulative expenses of continuing with the system as it. Reducing the number of vehicles on the road is going to reduce the mounting costs of paving and repaving roads. It's time to rethink the system! Imagine a city with fewer paves surfaces? It's inevitable. We can continue to choose the outdated 'pave-everything' habits, or use our ability to rethink and revitalize our communities through fresh approaches. With the LRT comes calmer traffic, and the ability to integrate with other active modes of transport including walking, cycling and biking. Ironically, the City of Hamilton just approved the largest urban boundary expansion in Hamilton history to develop farmland around the airport. Notice the irony? The airport, on city land, is privately operated and does NOT pay any tax on the city land used. The airport is focused on the external market, and supports the most inefficient mode of transportation - air flight. We need some of the greedy individuals in town to develop some wisdom and to start realizing that life is about what you give, not what you get. Imagine if we shifted our priorities to projects in the community that benefit the citizens? That's why we need to start voting a new Green direction. The Greens would also like to develop local RRSP bonds that can be used to invest in local infrastructure. |
| Geoff Peacock | No | In this election, Freedom Party candidates are focused on
two things: restoring trust in government by balancing the budget without massive job cuts, and restoring affordable electricity by pulling the plug on already-existing, over-priced, Liberal green energy deals (without a penalty). Our position is that there should be no new spending unless and until the budget is balanced. You may consider this my reply to all of the questions in your questionnaire. |
| Stefanos Keratopis | No | My answer to all of these questions are no. However, that does not mean these things should not be done. I just do not think government should be doing them. I am opposed to all forms of government monopolies.
With the province having a $295 Billion debt is it really a smart thing to commit itself to large scale projects and more massive spending and more unsustainable tax increases? We need to reduce the size of government, sell off all government monopolies such as the LCBO/OLG and use that money to reduce the provincial debt, invest in restoring Ontarians freedoms and get government out of the way of business and REMOVE ALL red tape so they can create jobs. Please visit https://libertarian.on.ca/platform to see our current platform. Vote Libertarian Party, The Party Of Choice. |
| Tim Hudak | No | Thank you very much for your letter. We appreciate the opportunity to listen to your priorities for Ontario. We share your commitment to Ontario's future and believe that with more and better jobs, we can do what's necessary to bring about the change Ontario needs.
I'm excited about our Million Jobs Plan-a plan to bring jobs back to Ontario, stop overspending, balance the budget and keep our debt from growing. Our plan relies on the notion that government should be smaller, but what it does, it does better. Our priorities for this election can be found at www.millionjobsplan.com We need to face our challenges honestly and compassionately. It won't be easy, but it can be done and it will be worth it. I know we can build a previously unimagined Ontario, but it's going to take some courage and a willingness to challenge the failed status quo. That's what our Ontario PC Million Jobs Plan delivers. We are asking government to tighten its belt, the way everyday Ontarians have, so that one million men and women out of work will have a shot at solid, good-paying jobs. We've got a job to do. It's time to get Ontario working better. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 9 | 60.0% |
| No | 5 | 33.3% |
| Maybe | 1 | 6.7% |
15 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alex Johnstone | ||
| Donna Skelly | ||
| Glenn Langton | ||
| Hamilton Centre | ||
| Andrea Horwath | ||
| Peter Melanson | ||
| Hamilton East-Stoney Creek | ||
| Britney Anne Johnston | ||
| David Brown | ||
| Greg Zink | ||
| Ivan Luksic | ||
| Mark Burnison | ||
| Hamilton Mountain | ||
| Albert Marshall | ||
| Brian Goodwin | ||
| Javid Mirza | ||
| Niagara West-Glanbrook | ||
| Brian McCormack | ||
| David Mossey | ||
