Federal Elections 2011
During the 2011 election campaign, political parties and candidates expressed a variety of views on public transit and its role in improving our quality of life and building greener, healthier and more successful communities. Before the vote took place, CUTA released a bulletin that summarizes related information contained either in responses to CUTA's official questionnaire sent to party leaders or from campaign platforms published by the parties. Their complete platforms can be found at the following web links:
The Conservative Party of Canada at www.conservative.ca
The Liberal Party of Canada at www.liberal.ca
The New Democratic Party of Canada at www.ndp.ca
The Bloc Québécois at www.blocquebecois.org
The Green Party of Canada at www.greenparty.ca
The information presented below is believed to accurately represent information released by the various parties as of 27 April 2011.
The following three questions, along with key background information, were sent to each of the federal parties in April 2011 in order to generate a consistent and comparable set of responses:
1. Does your party support the development of a Canadian Transit Policy Framework? What role do you think the federal government should play in developing and implementing such a strategy?
2. Do you agree that there should be long-term, predictable, and dedicated capital transit investment mechanisms at the federal level? What initiatives would you put in place to achieve that goal?
3. Can your party commit to the implementation of tax-exempt status for employer-provided transit benefits?
The Conservative Party of Canada's Election Platform reiterates commitments previously proposed in the 2011 Federal Budget. A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will:
- Work with provinces, territories, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and other stakeholders to develop a long-term plan for public infrastructure that extends beyond the expiry of the Building Canada Plan; and
- Introduce legislation to confirm permanent funding for municipal infrastructure through the Gas Tax Fund.
A Liberal government will provide leadership, working with other levels of government and the private sector to put in place a Canadian Transportation and Infrastructure Strategy that targets long-term economic benefits. Liberal infrastructure priorities include:
- Highways and major roads that support international trade, regional commerce and economic development;
- Local and regional transit, rapid transit and commuter rail that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by providing efficient alternatives to private vehicles;
- Municipal infrastructure, particularly for water and sewers to meet local needs and reduce pollution, and major public multi-function spaces;
- High-speed rail in regions where rapid, convenient connections between major urban centres promise environmental benefits, enhanced mobility, decreased congestion and a boost to international commerce, if coordinated with investments underway in the United States.
The Liberal party of Canada will commit to put in place this new Transportation and Infrastructure Strategy that will underpin a next generation of programming. It will also bring clarity and coherence to the federal role in infrastructure. A Liberal government will be open to exploring with stakeholders incentives to favour a modal shift to transit during peak hours.
The New Democratic Party of Canada strongly believes that the federal government must play a leadership role in improving public transit in Canada.
An NDP Government will enact a National Public Transit Strategy in order to:
- Provide a permanent investment plan to support public transit;
- Establish federal funding mechanisms for public transit;
- Work together with all levels of government to provide sustainable, predictable, long term and adequate funding; and
- Establish accountability measures to ensure that all governments work together to increase access to public transit.
Canada's New Democrats will also allocate another cent of the existing gas tax to public transit funding for municipalities and will encourage transit use by providing a tax exemption for employee workplace-based transit passes.
Interview with Jack Layton conducted privately between CUTA and late NDP Leader, Jack Layton during the Elections in May 2011.
The Bloc Québécois will support major investments in public transit infrastructure such as dedicated transit lanes, as well as the development of new lines for commuter trains, tramways, and trolleybuses.
The Green Party of Canada believes Canada must adopt a national transit strategy that strengthens our rail network and our public transit systems in order to be competitive and sustainable in the modern economy.
In its platform, the Green Party of Canada commits 2.1 billion dollars in new mass transit funding over the next three years and 900 million dollars in funding to promote cycling and pedestrian initiatives.
The Green Party of Canada will work together with the provinces and municipalities to establish six municipal superfunds to provide steady, consistent funding for municipalities. One of these funds will be dedicated to mass transit promotion.
Additionally, the Green Party of Canada is committed to the Gas Tax Transfer to municipalities at 5 cents/litre. It will also make employer-provided transit passes tax-free by exempting them from taxable benefit status, to encourage workers and businesses to use public transport, and provide financial support to provinces that provide free public transit passes to people living below the poverty line.
Read more key background information.
