People Do Not Trust Wynne To Deliver On Transit

Liberal track record of waste, delays, mismanagement

TORONTO, April 14, 2014 /CNW/ - When it comes to transit, people do not trust the Liberal track record of waste, delay and mismanagement say the Ontario NDP, who launched a new website: http://transittrackrecord.ca/.

Critic for urban transit, Rosario Marchese, questioned the Liberals on Wynne's poor track record as Transportation Minister in Dalton McGuinty's government.

"Liberals wasted transit money and delayed important upgrades, it's no wonder people don't trust Wynne to deliver on her transit promises," Marchese said.

New Democrats today are circulating a flyer entitled "The top five examples of Liberal mismanagement":

1. As Transportation Minister, Wynne cut $4 billion from transit.¹
2. Auditor General found new Presto card costs ballooned to $700 million. $300 million wasted on a more expensive private provider.²
3. Wasted millions to create a new transit bureaucracy at Metrolinx. Number of staff making over $100,000/year doubled to 262 in 2012.³
4. Annual cost of a TTC Metropass up $417 since the Liberals took power, passing the burden on to transit's most loyal users.⁴
5. Wynne wastes $900/day for a new transit panel-rejects all their recommendations.⁵

"The Liberal waste, delay and mismanagement of transit needs to stop," said Shamini Selvaratnam, Director of Communications for the Ontario NDP. "Our hope is that Wynne comes to her senses and makes important changes."

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¹"$4B transit funding delay leaves Miller furious, observers perplexed." National Post. March 26, 2010.

² Tess Kalinowski. "Auditor general says Presto smart card cost has ballooned to $700 million." Toronto Star. December 12, 2012.

³ Rob Ferguson and Richard J. Brennan. "Ontario's sunshine list of high wage-earners grew 11% n 2012." Toronto Star. March 2013.

⁴ 2014 Fare Schedule, TTC. 1 January 1, 2014.

⁵ Kelly McParland. "Kathleen Wynne throws $90,000 down a transit hole." National Post. September 19, 2013.

SOURCE: New Democratic Party of Ontario

Media Inquiries: Shamini Selvaratnam [phone]