This afternoon, Mayor Iveson had the opportunity to meet with federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau at City Hall. Mayor Iveson and Mr. Trudeau took time to discuss Edmonton’s priorities.
One particular topic of conversation was funding for the Valley Line LRT, currently capped at 25 per cent of eligible costs under the Building Canada Fund. While the recently announced Public Transit Fund offers cities one-third (33.3 per cent) of federal support, this same offer has not been extended to Edmonton. This funding difference is estimated at $132 million. With construction on the Valley Line to begin in 2016, this was one item where the importance of inter-governmental cooperation was stressed.
Overall, the Mayor and Mr. Trudeau had a positive meeting. The discussion also highlighted three areas where the Big City Mayors Caucus believe the federal government can make a significant impact: support for transit, modernizing infrastructure and creating access to affordable housing.
The Mayor thanks Mr. Trudeau for his commitment to ensuring Edmonton receives the same kind of support from the federal government as other major cities, and for reaching out to talk about Edmonton’s vision. He welcomes invitations from other party leaders to meet at City Hall and discuss Edmonton’s priorities.
To see where all major parties stand on key municipal issues, visit: http://www.citiescan.ca/policy_tracker
