Just days after the province shut down Toronto city council’s request to implement road tolls on the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, Mayor John Tory says he and Premier Kathleen Wynne spoke “constructively” about the issue during their meeting at Queen’s Park Monday morning.
At a news conference Monday afternoon, Tory told reporters that going into the meeting, he knew the road tolls dispute would change the dynamic of his conversation with the premier today.
“Last week, the nature of our city’s understanding with the province fundamentally changed. Those events meant that it couldn’t just be business as usual. Toronto City Council took a clear position on our chosen path forward and put forward a plan to pay for the projects our citizens badly need. Denied the power to make those investments, the province now needs to do more for Toronto and for its nearly three million citizens,” Tory said.
“So this morning, the premier and I spoke constructively, I will say, about the future and about Toronto’s substantial and pressing needs when it comes to issues of housing and public transportation.”
Tory said he emphasized that the province must “immediately come to the table” to address the social housing crisis in the city.
“I’m encouraged, possibly for the first time since I’ve been the mayor, that this morning, after our meeting, that the premier acknowledged the province will have to be a partner going forward with us.”
Tory said that while he is committed to working “collaboratively” with all levels of government, including the province, he will continue to “fight” for Toronto residents.
“I was prepared to be held to account for the road tolls… and I wasn’t given that chance nor was city council,” Tory said.
“I think now I’ve just to carry on fighting for housing and proper money for housing and fighting for additional funds for public transportation, for child care and for a whole host of other things where we have needs. They have to be our partners in meeting those needs, simple as that.”
Premier Wynne assured reporters that her relationship with the mayor is not “broken” following the province’s apparent about face on road tolls.
“There is a very, good solid working relationship. It is a constructive relationship and it will continue to be,” Wynne said Monday.
The premier stood by her decision to reject the city’s road toll proposal.
“Putting a toll on existing roads without having those affordable, efficient transit alternatives just is not fair. We know what people’s budgets are stretched as it is… so we need to make sure that we make the investments necessary,” Wynne said.
“Here in Toronto, the investment that we are making is equal to what the city was seeking through its proposal for road tolls.”
