Mayors McCallion, Morrison Pledge Support for New Funds for Transportation

1500+ Residents, 55 Elected Officials sign CivicAction Pledge to be Part of Funding Solution

TORONTO, May 24, 2013 /CNW/ - Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion and Caledon Mayor Marolyn Morrison are publically pledging "to get a move on" as support continues to build for CivicAction's pledge for transportation funding for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) at your32.com.

The pledge received an important boost this week as Mayors McCallion and Morrison joined eight other Peel Region elected officials who have taken the pledge. Their pledges show leadership in moving the Toronto region ahead by supporting new ways to raise funds to expand the region's transportation network. This support comes ahead of Metrolinx's submission of its Investment Strategy on how to fund the rest of The Big Move to the Province and heads of the region's municipal councils on Monday, May 27.

More than 1500 residents across the Toronto region and 55 elected officials have signed the CivicAction pledge that calls for new dedicated, efficient, transparent & accountable, regional, fair and sustainable ways to fund transportation service and infrastructure investment in the GTHA.

Ten Peel Region elected officials have signed the CivicAction pledge to date, including Hon. Charles Sousa, Ontario Finance Minister and MPP for Mississauga South, Mayors McCallion and Morrison, and seven Councillors:

• Bonnie Crombie, Ward 5 Mississauga
• Chris Fonseca, Ward 3 Mississauga
• Nando Iannicca, Ward 7 Mississauga
• Pat Saito,  Ward 9 Mississauga
• Ron Starr, Ward 6 Mississauga
• John Hutton,  Wards 2 & 6 Brampton
• John Sprovieri, Regional Councillor Wards 9 & 10 Brampton

As Mayor McCallion stressed earlier this week at the Western GTA Summit, CivicAction's principle of regional funding is important to residents in Mississauga. No matter where residents live and work they want to move seamlessly between municipalities.

"The support of elected officials in Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon is a positive sign to residents and other GTHA elected officials at all levels that together we are ready to invest in the transportation network our region needs to prosper and thrive," said Mitzie Hunter, CEO of CivicAction. "We know that GTHA residents are fed up with the toll congestion takes on their daily lives, and it's great to see residents and elected officials ready to work together to crack the funding nut."

About CivicAction's Your32 campaign
CivicAction and its 50+ team of civic Champions and Regional Co-Captains aim to build support for a better regional transportation system and the need for new sustainable ways to pay for it. For more information, visit www.your32.com.

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic, and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships with organizations, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

SOURCE: CivicAction