ORBA Calls on All Municipal Candidates Seeking Office to Commit to Investments in Transportation Infrastructure

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 20, 2014 /CNW/ - With a week to go until Election Day, the Ontario Road Builders' Association (ORBA) is calling on all individuals seeking municipal office to commit to investing more in road and transit improvements.

"ORBA's member companies across the province are urging all municipal candidates for their commitment to investing in the future of our province by investing in transportation infrastructure," said Geoff Wilkinson, Executive Director of ORBA.  "Infrastructure plays a vital role in our economy today and into the future."

According to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Ontario's municipalities own and are responsible for maintaining almost 50% of Ontario's public infrastructure including more than 15,000 bridges and large culverts and more than 140,000 kilometres of roads. This is more than double the provincial (12.4%) and federal (9.2%) combined.  Municipalities are currently facing an infrastructure deficit of over $60 billion, of which $28 billion accounts for the infrastructure gap for roads and bridges alone.

Transportation infrastructure is a critical public asset that affects people's everyday lives and business competitiveness, while also playing a key role in long-term economic growth and development. Conversely, poorly maintained infrastructure delivers a lower quality of services, costs more to repair and replace, and can increase risks to health and safety. Traffic congestion has become an increasingly troubling issue, particularly in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, where it causes upwards of $11 billion a year in lost economic productivity.

"Traffic congestion has become the #1 issue affecting economic growth and social prosperity in Ontario. Eliminating the staggering infrastructure deficit currently facing municipalities as well as expanding our existing transportation infrastructure will place municipalities and Ontario at a competitive advantage," added Mr. Wilkinson.

Voters across the province will head to the polls on October 27, 2014 to elect mayors, councillors and all other elected officials in their respective municipalities.

The Ontario Road Builders' Association (ORBA) is the voice of the road building sector in Ontario. Our members build the majority of provincial and municipal roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure across the province, and employ in excess of 30,000 workers at peak season. To learn more about ORBA go to www.orba.org

SOURCE: Ontario Road Builders Association

Ashley De Souza, Director, Government Relations, ORBA, [email protected], 905-507-1107 (ext. 223)