Ontario Business Advocate Committed to Working with Province to Improve Transportation

(Toronto, April 10, 2019) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the following statement in response to Premier Ford’s $28.5 billion expansion to the GTA transit network.

“We are pleased to see the government’s commitment to investing in Ontario’s light rail system and in state-of-the-art technology for the TTC subway network. This is a much-needed investment given that the TTC is the oldest and most-used light rail system in Ontario, regularly operates at or above capacity, and creates challenges for Ontario residents and businesses every single day.

“Today’s announcement is a step towards repairing the transportation system in the GTA as transportation is the backbone of our economy, and critical to the competitiveness of our business community. A recent survey of our members revealed that 58 percent of respondents rated transportation infrastructure in their communities as merely fair or poor.

“As stated in our report, Moving Forward: Towards a Strategic Approach to Ontario’s Transportation Needs (Part I), more remains to be done to ensure all corners of the province have access to reliable transportation options. As details of this plan are released, we hope to see the province prioritize investments with the greatest potential to provide a strong return on investment.

“As this plan is further developed, the OCC is committed to working with the Province to ensure that private sector involvement is at the forefront as innovative technologies are adopted.”

– 30 –

For more information please contact:
Ceara Copps – Edwards
Senior Communications Advisor
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca| Office: (647) 936-6734

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice 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.