Close X
Saturday, January 11, 2025
ADVT 
National

Wynne proposes national infrastructure partnership: 'We all know the reality'

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Jan, 2015 11:30 AM
  • Wynne proposes national infrastructure partnership: 'We all know the reality'

OTTAWA — Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is proposing a sweeping national infrastructure partnership between the provinces and the federal government.

Wynne says the so-called Canadian Infrastructure Partnership would amount to a collaboration aimed at investing five per cent of Canada's GDP in infrastructure renewal.

She says experts estimate that governments in Canada currently invest between three and 3.5 per cent of GDP in public infrastructure.

In prepared remarks for today's speech in Ottawa, Wynne says the provinces aren't asking Ottawa to do it all, simply to do more.

She pointed to past major infrastructure projects — including the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Trans-Canada Highway — that transformed the country and put thousands to work.

And she says infrastructure is in dire need of help.

"I do not need to dwell on the state of infrastructure across our country today," Wynne says in the speech. "We all know the reality."

She's calling for "large-scale, sustained, co-ordinated and strategically wise" infrastructure investments that would advance economic competitiveness for decades.

"We know the benefits that infrastructure generates in terms of economic activity," she says. "But public infrastructure also reduces the cost of production in the private sector and increases productivity."

The Ontario premier's infrastructure proposal comes in advance of a premiers' meeting in Ottawa next week.

Wynne recently invited Prime Minister Stephen Harper to attend the meeting after the two met on Jan. 5 for the first time in more than a year.

The Prime Minister's Office has said Harper won't attend, saying he meets regularly with the provincial premiers one-on-one.

MORE National ARTICLES

Baird starts four-day Israeli visit on Friday, and will travel to West Bank

Baird starts four-day Israeli visit on Friday, and will travel to West Bank
OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird decided not to visit one of Jerusalem's most contested holy sites, which has been a tinderbox of violence in recent months.

Baird starts four-day Israeli visit on Friday, and will travel to West Bank

Fraud fears prompt revenue agency to tighten checks on volunteer tax helpers

Fraud fears prompt revenue agency to tighten checks on volunteer tax helpers
OTTAWA — The federal revenue agency is stepping up scrutiny of volunteers who help prepare income-tax returns after a suspected fraudster was spotted at a tax clinic.

Fraud fears prompt revenue agency to tighten checks on volunteer tax helpers

Joe Oliver refuses to provide details on deadline for delayed budget

Joe Oliver refuses to provide details on deadline for delayed budget
OTTAWA — Finance Minister Joe Oliver is refusing to provide a deadline for the Conservative government's now-delayed federal budget, saying he doesn't want to get into "negative hypotheticals."

Joe Oliver refuses to provide details on deadline for delayed budget

One Dead, Three Injured After Being Hit By Vehicles In Metro Vancouver

One Dead, Three Injured After Being Hit By Vehicles In Metro Vancouver
Mounties in Langley say a 54-year-old man was hit by a truck at about 9:20 p.m. Thursday and has been pronounced dead in hospital.

One Dead, Three Injured After Being Hit By Vehicles In Metro Vancouver

Mounties have the right to collective bargaining, Supreme Court decides

Mounties have the right to collective bargaining, Supreme Court decides
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada gave rank-and-file RCMP members a major morale boost Friday when it affirmed their right to engage in meaningful collective bargaining.

Mounties have the right to collective bargaining, Supreme Court decides

Hockey star Guy Lafleur says police and Crown ganged up on him as retribution

Hockey star Guy Lafleur says police and Crown ganged up on him as retribution
MONTREAL — Guy Lafleur testified Thursday that the Crown and Montreal police went after him unjustifiably because they couldn't get the evidence they wanted against his son.

Hockey star Guy Lafleur says police and Crown ganged up on him as retribution