Tom Mulcair’s plan to build stronger cities and communities

EDMONTON – Federal NDP and Official Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair has announced new details of his plan for Stronger Cities and Communities in an address to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Tom Mulcair’s plan will deliver stable, long-term investments in Canada’s core infrastructure, a strategy for public transit to get people moving and a plan to make housing more affordable.

“Communities have been let down by successive Liberal and Conservative governments that have failed to make a dent in Canada’s infrastructure deficit, which sits at a staggering $172 billion and growing,” said Mr. Mulcair. “An NDP government will be a real partner to Canada’s municipalities with concrete investments to build and repair infrastructure that Canadian families and businesses require, and reduce commute times.”

Canada’s NDP Government will ensure that our roads, bridges and other core infrastructure get attention, starting with an additional cent of the existing gas tax to get people moving. This will ramp up to an additional $1.5 billion dollar annual investment by the end of the NDP’s first mandate to help stabilize long-term funding for infrastructure.

Tom Mulcair’s Better Transit Plan will be developed in partnership with provinces and territories to tackle gridlock in our cities to help get Canadians to-and-from work or school more quickly and help the environment. Canada’s NDP government will invest $1.3 billion annually over the next 20 years to ensure predictable, stable and transparent public transit funding for municipalities.

The NDP wants affordable housing within reach for all Canadians and will sustain investment in Canada’s affordable housing agreements. An NDP government will also provide incentives for the construction of 10,000 affordable and market rental housing units.

“Canada needs a federal government that understands that investments in communities and cities will help drive our economy forward,” said NDP Urban Affairs critic Matthew Kellway (Beaches – East York). “When it comes to the future of Canada's communities, big and small, it’s time to be bold and – working together – build the Canada of our dreams.”