Upload transit, highways to Metrolinx: Hudak

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak says he is all for building subways in Toronto but he doesn’t see being able to pay for it until the Ontario Government is made much more efficient. Speaking at the Toronto Board of Trade today, Mr. Hudak said Toronto taxpayers should not asked to pay new fees or taxes for subway and highways until waste in the system is eliminated. The PC leader also said: “The first step in financing these projects is to root out the waste in government, strive to find efficiencies and savings in every facet of government.”  Premier Kathleen Wynne has called for a conversation about revenue tools to pay for new transit. Congestion fees, a regional sales tax and road tolls have all been suggested. Hudak said that conversation is premature because the current system needs fixing. First, says Hudak, the provincial government needs to upload subways and LRTs, and then regional highways including the Don Valley Parkway to Metrolinx, the provincial body charged with planning transit.