FIVE MAJOR CHALLENGES LOOKING TO THE FUTURE PARLIAMENTARY FACING When the redistribution of federal electoral boundaries is made law and an REPORT 1. Competitiveness While Toronto’s election is called, the area where you economy is strong, the standard of living live will be part of a new riding called of the average income earner has not increased, which Scarborough Bluffs. I intend to stand reveals declining productivity and for nomination as your Liberal candidate competitiveness in Toronto’s in that election, and would like to begin workforce. to know you. 2. Education As a result of cutbacks, One of my responsibilities is to keep Toronto is facing a decline in its skilled Volume 9, Canadians informed about issues workforce, a trend that must be Issue 15 reversed, if the problem of affecting us all, so with the agreement

competitiveness is to be overcome. of your present Member of Parliament, 3. Infrastructure When it was a relatively John Cannis, I will send you information young city, Toronto thrived on its new THE HON. from time to time about matters on infrastructure. As the city ages, however, this must be replaced. The which the Government of is JOHN MCKAY areas which need work include currently working. SCARBOROUGH EAST

transportation, sewage, water systems and other costly, but vital, projects. LEGISLATIVE OFFICE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY 4. Urban sprawl As Toronto reaches out in 549-D Centre Block, TO THE all directions, lower costs in the suburbs House of Commons, MINISTER OF FINANCE are attracting business away from the Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 downtown core. This is environmentally Tel: 613-992-1447 detrimental, and requires major new Fax: 613-992-8968 infrastructure projects. URBAN ISSUES: 5. Affordable housing Poverty and Email: [email protected] homelessness, not just among single men, Website: www.johnmckaymp.on.ca MAJOR CHALLENGES but including whole families, are also on CONSTITUENCY OFFICE the rise. This is the result of fewer units 4630 Kingston Road, Unit 12 of social housing being built, and also FOR TORONTO because Toronto tends to attract Toronto, ON M1E 4Z4 homeless people from other parts of Tel: 416-283-1226 Canada. Fax: 416-283-7935 Email: [email protected] PRIORITY ISSUES through the Canada- Infrastructure In addition, the GTA has Urban issues continue o be a priority for Program, a joint venture between Industry been allotted $156 million the Government of Canada. Even before Canada and Ontario SuperBuild, which has in medical equipment forming his government, Prime Minister raised over $715 million through joint- through the federal had been putting urban funding ventures. The Royal Medical Equipment Fund. It is issues on the federal agenda for a long Ontario Museum, the Canadian assumed that the Ontario government has time, including plans for a $2.5 billion Opera House and improvements given these funds to the City of Toronto. injection for cities and a new urban affairs to Roy Thompson Hall are examples of this URBAN SPRAWL department. money at work. In addition, $87 million has Urban sprawl is a provincial issue, as Toronto is one of the cities facing serious been committed to urban transit and $100 municipalities are creatures of the challenges in the coming years. The million to the Waterfront project. province. Nevertheless, through its federal government’s support for the GTA AFFORDABLE HOUSING contributions to urban transit and other shows that the government has focused on Another important area is affordable infrastructure projects, the federal very specific areas where it has been housing. Since 1994/95 the Government of government helps to reduce the inefficient constitutionally able to doing so. Canada has contributed over $350 million to use of land, especially where it can have COMPETITIVENESS AND EDUCATION affordable housing in the GTA. This funding negative environmental effects. The problem of declining competitiveness supports 110,000 low-income households, The Government of Canada has been aware in Toronto’s workforce is directly and has been used as long-term housing of the problems facing the GTA for a long connected to the education of the city’s subsidies. Another $64.8 million went time, and has acted where it has been able. population. The more educated people are, for the Supporting Communities Since 1994/95 a great deal of federal the more productive they will be. That is Partnership initiative and Youth and money has been invested in the GTA’s why the Government of Canada has Aboriginal initiatives. educational institutions, infrastructure invested over $1 billion in research and CANADA HEALTH and housing concerns. The Government of development in the GTA over the last AND SOCIAL TRANSFER Canada recognizes the important part seven years. The federal government has By far the greatest contribution by the Toronto plays in the Canadian economy, and contributed to the major Toronto-area Government of Canada to the GTA has been the need to keep our city a dynamic place post-secondary through the Canada Health and Social for those of us who live here, and for institutions through Transfer. This is the largest transfer of visitors who come here on business or as three specific funds, money from the federal government to tourists. allowing research by provinces and territories, providing them professors, funding to students at various with tax transfers and cash payments on a stages in their studies, and expansion and per-capita basis for health care, post- updating of facilities in the institutions. secondary education, social assistance and INFRASTRUCTURE social services, including early childhood When it comes to infrastructure, the education. Between 1994/95 and 2002/03, Government of Canada has contributed the cash payments alone which were $416 million to the GTA alone. Slightly transferred to the Government of Ontario over half this funding was channeled for the GTA amounted to almost $20 billion.