High Speed Broadband and Public Transit Crucial for Post-Pandemic Job Creation

(TORONTO-September 13, 2021) Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and Ontario Chamber Network called on the next Parliament to partner with the private sector to build and expand crucial infrastructure to drive post-pandemic economic recovery. In the third pillar of its Ontario Business Matters federal election campaign, Resilient Infrastructure, the OCC underscores the importance of investing in public transit, digital infrastructure, and cleantech.

“Canada’s next Parliament needs to commit to making smart and strategic investments in key infrastructure – such as accelerating broadband access and expanding public transit – which will be critical for our post-pandemic economic recovery,” said Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the OCC. “The pandemic has underscored the need for better broadband in every corner of the province with many businesses forced to go online for the first time, and many continuing to offer virtual options to their staff and customers. High-speed internet can support businesses to be able to hire the best talent and reach larger markets.”

Ontario Business Matters calls on Canada’s next federal government to support provinces and municipalities as they expand transit systems and decarbonize their fleets. The campaign also discusses the need to address the climate crisis by leveraging Ontario’s competitive advantages in the fields of cleantech, nuclear energy, and zero-emission vehicles.

“As we work through the current crisis, emphasis must be placed on tackling the other looming challenge – climate change. Enabling low-carbon innovation will not only strengthen Ontario’s position as a global leader in the net-zero economy but also drive growth and job creation in manufacturing and mining in the province’s resource-rich northern communities,” added Rossi.

The third pillar of the Ontario Business Matters campaign is Resilient Infrastructure. Recommendations include:

• Accelerating investments in digital infrastructure to ensure Ontarians can access the jobs of the future, education, and healthcare.
• Electrifying and expanding public transit in partnership with the provinces and municipalities.
• Partnering with industry to confront climate change to drive national decarbonization efforts and support the industry’s rapid recovery.

Through the Ontario Business Matters federal election campaign, the OCC, along with over 155 local chambers and boards of trade, are sharing pressing policy issues related to Ontario business that need to be front and centre in the federal election.

For more information about the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Ontario Business Matters campaign, please visit the OCC’s website.

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information, please contact:
Ceara Copps – Edwards
Manager, Public Affairs
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca | Mobile: (647) 936-6734