In the last year, groups of U.S. mayors and business leaders too have joined voices to make louder cries for a sustainable, well-funded plan for the country’s infrastructure. Now Canada’s municipal leaders have united around a platform they hope will get voters paying closer attention to government spending on infrastructure.
According to Toronto station CT24:
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities wants the political parties to commit to increasing funding to core infrastructure like roads, bridges and water systems by $1.5 billion annually through a predictable system like the Gas Tax Fund.
It also calls for tax incentives to produce more affordable rental housing, asks for consultation when introducing new crime legislation as well as for support for local governments to build and adapt climate-resilient infrastructure.
The platform, called “Strengthening Canada’s Hometowns,” is meant to inspire debate among party leaders. “This is a road map to help guide the political parties leading up to the federal election this October on how they might be able to support the quality of life of all of our citizens,” a Vancouver council member told the Canadian Press. “For now, what we’re doing is putting out this road map. The next step will be having that political debate and we’ll see how the political parties perform.”
Jenn Stanley is a freelance journalist, essayist and independent producer living in Chicago. She has an M.S. from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
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