Federal budget targets gridlocked urban commuters with new mass transit fund

OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – Gridlocked commuters in Canada’s major cities are the focus of a federal fund to help finance major new transit projects.

The money in today’s federal budget is an answer to those city mayors and provincial premiers who have been clamouring for federal financial support for new roads, bridges and mass transit lines.

The new fund doesn’t kick in until 2017-18, with $750 million earmarked over two years and $1 billion every year in subsequent years.

Toronto is planning a major transit project, and today’s budget is just the first that Mayor John Tory will be watching this week: the Ontario budget comes down Thursday.

Another new initiative, the Canada 150 community infrastructure program, came with no specifics other than a vague commitment to support the renovation, expansion and improvement of existing infrastructure across the country.

The program is tied to the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

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