NDP platform good news for Edmonton transit

April 11, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NDP PLATFORM GOOD NEWS FOR EDMONTON TRANSIT

“Today’s NDP platform is the first in this election campaign to call for new, long-term investments in Canada´s cities and communities… The NDP plan would replace recently expired federal transit funding by putting more of the taxes Canadians pay at the gas pump into new buses, subways, and commuter rail.”
- Hans Cunningham, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)

NDP candidates Ray Martin (Edmonton East) and Lewis Cardinal (Edmonton Centre) said Jack Layton’s pledge for new public transit funding will make a positive difference to Edmonton’s plan to expand the LRT network and address other transit priorities.

Martin highlighted three specific initiatives in the NDP platform supporting public transit:

• Enacting a National Public Transit Strategy to maintain and expand public transit across the country, with a clear mechanism for sustainable, predictable and long-term funding.
• Immediately allocating another cent of the existing gas tax to public transit funding.
• Encouraging transit use by providing a tax exemption for employee workplace-based transit passes.

“Allocating another cent of the federal gas tax to public transit would mean an additional $215 million over five years for Edmonton,” said Martin.

“Expanding public transit is key to reducing traffic congestion and improving the environment. These initiatives support the City of Edmonton’s goal of getting more Edmontonians on to public transit,” added Edmonton Centre NDP candidate Lewis Cardinal.

“Under the NDP plan cities like Edmonton will be full partners with the federal government in furthering their public transit priorities,” said Cardinal.

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For more information contact:

John Ashton, Campaign Manager (Ray Martin)
780.913.6518

Brian Stokes, Campaign Manager (Lewis Cardinal)
780.904.1168