December 16, 2021
Doug Ford
Premier of Ontario
Room 281- Legislative Building
Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
Caroline Mulroney
Ministry of Transportation
5th Floor
777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON, M7A 1Z8
Premier Ford and Minister Mulroney,
I am writing to you today to express the urgent need for investments in public transit for the City of Windsor. Municipalities like mine are stretched thin due to the ongoing pandemic, losses from the city’s annual casino dividend, tunnel, and airport losses along with reduced transit ridership. The City of Windsor is faced with an approximate $25 million shortfall with no guarantees for assistance from Provincial or Federal levels of government.
Public transportation is an asset to any community, especially those like Windsor-Essex. Many students, seniors, frontline and low-income workers depend on public transportation to get to their jobs, education institutes, medical appointments, and everyday necessities. With driver shortages and reduced services, many public transit users in my community are suffering.
We need the necessary investments to enhance the City of Windsor Transit system. This will have significant impacts on our local economy, employment rates and may help attract new businesses to the Windsor-Essex region. I have heard from many constituents that have had to turn down good paying and accessible local jobs due to the inability to access a reliable and quick public transit system. This would be an incredible return on investment, especially as we continue to move forward during this pandemic.
I am asking your government to step up and provide the necessary investments quickly in order to provide relief to municipalities like Windsor and to help us all move forward.
[Original letter signed]
Lisa Gretzky MPP
Windsor West
Critic for Community and Social Services