Tory's call for provincial funding for future transit projects 'crosses the line': Del Duca

Ontario’s transportation minister says he believes Mayor John Tory’s continued demand for provincial funding for future transit projects in Toronto “crosses the line.”

Steven Del Duca, who showed up at city hall unexpectedly on Monday, made the comments following a meeting between Tory and Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown.

During a joint news conference with Brown at city hall on Monday, Tory said the provincial government needs to “be at the table with money in hand” for projects such as the downtown relief line, the Scarborough East LRT and waterfront transit.

“We are dealing here with some very serious issues, which in my view go directly to the economic health and the social health of not just Toronto but all of Ontario given the importance Toronto has to the province and the country,” Tory said.

Minutes after the news conference concluded, Del Duca spoke to reporters, taking aim at comments Tory made about the recently released Ontario budget and its contributions to Toronto transit projects and housing repairs.

“We are literally investing billions of dollars today. More than 70 per cent of all the transit investments that are occurring in the city of Toronto are flowing from Queen’s Park to help support transit,” Del Duca said.

“To see that there continue to be demands for future projects when there is no confirmed city contribution for those projects is something that I believe crosses the line.”

Ontario PCs need to be ‘held to account’

Del Duca said he thought it was “really important” to be at city hall today to make sure Patrick Brown and the Ontario Conservative Party were “held to account” for “an abysmal track record” on transit in the GTA and Toronto.

“More than a generation ago they killed the Eglinton subway. They cut funding for GO Transit. They pulled back on service for GO Transit. They tolled and then sold the 407. These are transportation decisions that have come back to haunt us for years and years and years and years,” Del Duca said.

“And I wanted to be here today to make sure Patrick Brown, who I know is working hard to run away from his own party’s track record on transit, that he was held to account for that history.”

Del Duca would not address a question about why the relationship between Premier Kathleen Wynne and Tory appears to have soured in recent months.

“I won’t comment on the relationship specifically. I will say that we are at Queen’s Park absolutely committed to continuing to invest in transit and transportation,” Del Duca concluded.

During Tory’s news conference Monday, the mayor was quick to say his meeting with Brown did not mean he was trying to “pick favourites.”

“This is one of a series of discussions I will have with all of the major party leaders, including the premier, ultimately leading to the election next year around this time,” Tory said.

“My objective is not to pick favourites or to put anyone down. I could and I would and I will work constructively with any and all of the leaders, regardless of who ends up in the government and who is in the opposition. I think it’s my job to work with them and to make sure they understand the issues from Toronto’s perspective.”

Although Brown would not commit to funding the three transit projects Tory mentioned, Tory said he welcomes initiatives the Ontario PC Party plans to put in place to help Toronto move forward with repairing housing and building transit.

Those initiatives, Brown said, include allowing the TCHC to purchase natural gas independently, reducing red tape and streamlining development processes and committing to getting shovels in the ground when it comes to the Scarborough subway.

“I hope he (Brown) continues to help me address Toronto issues,” Tory said.

Speaking to CP24 on Monday afternoon, Tory said it was unfair of Del Duca to accuse the city of not coming up with their share for future projects.

"We tried to do it through the road tolls. That was what the money was going to pay for, for future transit projects and he was the chief organizer to have those road tolls disallowed and shot down," Tory said. 

"We have to regroup and figure out how we are going to pay our share. That doesn’t take away from them (the province) matching federal money to pay their share." 

In a written statement released Monday afternoon, Wynne's office accused Tory and Brown of making "false claims” during the news conference.

The premier’s statement went on to list a number of Toronto transit projects the province is currently funding as well as other highlights from last week's budget.

"To suggest that there is nothing in the budget for the City of Toronto is just not the case," Wynne told reporters on Monday, adding that she believes the relationship between the province and the city has been "very strong" in the past and needs to continue to be.

Tory calls on Liberal MPPs to advocate for TCHC

Tory’s meeting with Brown came one day after the mayor called on Toronto-area Liberal MPPs to stand up and fight for provincial funding for Toronto Community Housing.

While Tory did acknowledge some positive things in the budget, including permission to levy a hotel tax in Toronto, provincial land for affordable housing, and “significant” new initiatives for supportive housing for people with mental illness, the mayor slammed the province for not setting aside additional money for Toronto Community Housing repairs.

“Earlier this year we did receive some good news in the federal budget. In response to concerns expressed by me as mayor, by other mayors, by members of city council, assisted greatly by advocacy from Toronto-area Liberal members of federal Parliament, the federal budget announced significant new funding for housing,” Tory said at news conference in Rexdale on Sunday.

“I was hopeful the Ontario budget would do the same… I would be less than honest if I said anything other than the fact that I was deeply disappointed at the failure of last week’s Ontario budget to indicate any new funding whatsoever for Toronto Community Housing repairs.”

A line also included in this year's budget was $130 million in previously announced funding for the retrofitting of Toronto Community Housing buildings under the province's climate change action plan.

Tory said he wants to see more action from provincial politicians on the housing front.

“In my view, part of the problem that led to this complete absence of any response from the Ontario government on Toronto Community Housing repairs might be that the elected Liberal members of provincial Parliament might not have been as engaged as their federal counterparts in making the case for Toronto and for the tenants they represent in Toronto Community Housing,” the mayor told reporters.

“I am now asking the Toronto Liberal MPPs to stand up for some of the neediest people in Toronto. To stand up for people they represent just as their 905 counterparts did on tolls. I’m convinced that if they do so… then the government will act just as it did to reject tolls,” he noted.

The mayor said he believes Premier Kathleen Wynne “understands the problem” and the challenges Toronto faces.

“She understands Toronto, the city she calls home and in which she has done much to advance social justice,” he said.

“I know the premier has heard my words and I know we can work better together to make real and significant progress for the TCHC tenants who need our help.”

Del Duca told reporters Monday that his government understands the “critical needs that exist” in regards to housing in Toronto.

“I know that the minister responsible for housing has talked to the mayor, I know the premier has,” Del Duca said. “I’m sure those conversations will continue.”