Catherine McKenna

[Infrastructure, September 29th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, we certainly support public transit in Ontario. We have a bilateral agreement with Ontario that will see the federal government invest over $11.8 billion in Ontario over the next decade, including $8.3 billion for public transit.

The reason that we need a business case is that we owe it to taxpayers to ensure that every dollar we invest gets outcomes. We are certainly willing to move ahead and we encourage the Government of Ontario to put forward a business case to our office so we can move forward and also to prioritize this project. I know people want that project to be built.

[Infrastructure, September 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Brome—Missisquoi for her question.

Every dollar invested by the federal government must grow our economy, create good jobs and improve quality of life. That is why the federal government is investing in upgrades to water mains in the regional community of Brome—Missisquoi, which will receive more than $5 million under the green infrastructure stream for five projects that will improve resilience and quality of life in those communities.

[Infrastructure, September 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, it is always nice to hear Conservatives talk about the importance of protecting the environment. That is a top priority for us. That is why we are investing in public transit.

I would certainly encourage the Government of Ontario to bring a business case forward, because I know how much Conservatives care about taxpayer dollars. We need to actually have the details so that we can move forward on an important project that will create jobs, that will reduce congestion and that will improve the lives of people in Ontario.

[Infrastructure, September 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, we have a bilateral agreement with Ontario that sees the federal government investing a historic $11.8 billion in Ontario over the next decade, including $8.3 billion for public transit.

We need to be working with the Government of Ontario and with local governments. We have asked the Government of Ontario to submit business cases on their major GTA transit lines, including the premier's preferred Ontario line, so that we can actually move forward and expedite funding decisions.

[COVID-19 Pandemic and Other Matters, August 12th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Don Valley North for his important question.

Now is the time to help communities like the City of Toronto to build back up from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That is a key part of the $19-billion Safe Restart Agreement between our federal government and the provinces and territories. This agreement includes $2 billion in federal funding, matched by provinces and territories, for cities and towns across Canada. It is funding that will support front-line workers and critical municipal services as we keep people safe during the economic restart.

The Government of Canada has also agreed to match more than $1.8 billion to help cities keep their transit systems running so that Canadians can get to work and home to their families safely. For Ontario, the federal government has committed $1 billion for public transit, which the province is matching.

We are supporting the front-line workers who are making an economic recovery possible because people depend on these critical front-line services, including public transit, to get safely back to work and to build back up our economy. If our cities are not running, our economy is not running. The Safe Restart Agreement will help Canada get back on track.

[Infrastructure, July 20th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, our government's investing in Canada plan has allocated $7.5 billion to help build up Quebec projects. These investments include public transit, clean water, clean energy, and healthy and active transportation.

We are going to continue to work with the Government of Quebec and municipalities across Quebec to get good projects built that build a cleaner, stronger and more prosperous future.

[COVID-19 Pandemic, April 20th, 2020]

Madam Chair, we understand how challenging the situation is right now with municipalities, including transit authorities. Public transit is incredibly important. We know that because so many of our essential workers rely on public transit to get to their jobs. I have spoken with many mayors, heads of transit authorities, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and we understand their concerns. We also need the provinces to be part of these conversations, but we are working to support them. Of course, infrastructure investment is part of that. It is incredibly important that we continue to build good public transit.

[Infrastructure, February 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that is making historic investments in public infrastructure. We support local governments in their work to improve local infrastructures. In fact, my hometown of The Hammer, Hamilton, has secured over $500 million in federal investment in infrastructure money and other projects.

We are a committed funding partner; however, on this specific project, we have not yet received a formal request from Ontario. We remain eager to work with the province and the city to get public transit built.

[Infrastructure, February 21st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, it was great to sit down recently with big city mayors and with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to discuss our common priorities, from public transit to green infrastructure.

We announced 10 new projects under the green municipal fund, such as a pilot project for Saskatoon to test electric buses, funding for Calgary to study fuel alternatives for its waste and recycle services fleet, and a stormwater project for the Fort York region and Lake Simcoe.

Local leaders know what is right for their communities. We are committed to working with them.

[Government Programs, February 4th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, openness and transparency are hallmarks of our government, and we welcome public and parliamentary oversight of our historic infrastructure program. I remind all Canadians that, in the last election campaign, the Conservatives wanted to slash $18 billion from our infrastructure investments. Which projects did the Conservatives want to cut: the blue line in Montreal, the tramway in Quebec City, the Champlain Bridge or investments in affordable housing?