Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau says his party would invest $2 billion in localized infrastructure funding aimed at improving GO Transit service in the Toronto and Hamilton areas.
Trudeau made the announcement during a news conference on Thursday morning in the Woodbridge neighbourhood of Vaughan, Ont., approximately 40 kilometres north of Toronto.
"From Oshawa to Hamilton, from Vaughan to the Gardiner, traffic congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is hindering the potential of our communities," Trudeau said. "People deserve a safe, quick and efficient way to cross the GTHA, whether it's to visit friends, get home to family, make it to a job interview or get to our kids' soccer game on time."
The investment would be the largest in the history of Canada, Trudeau said. The money would go toward projects like electric GO Train lines, which could also be used as part of Toronto Mayor John Tory's SmartTrack plan.
"The time to invest in infrastructure and transit is now, not two or three elections from now," he said.
Trudeau said his government would also commit to the federal share of the plan, which would see a 22-stop, above-ground rail line linking the city from Scarborough to Etobicoke. Tory has asked the federal government to fund approximately one-third of the $8 billion project.
In September, the NDP announced it would invest $12.9 billion in Toronto-area transit, which would be spent on SmartTrack and other projects like GO improvements.
Stephen Harper's Conservatives have promised $2.6 billion in funding for SmartTrack, as part of their Public Transit Fund. Like Trudeau, Harper said much of the money would go toward the electrification and retrofitting of existing GO Transit tracks, which would then be used by GO and the TTC.
