Ontario PCs will build on New Deal with Ottawa by uploading city’s LRT to the province to support local taxpayers and keep costs down for hardworking families
Ottawa, February 4, 2025 — Today, Ontario PC leader Doug Ford announced that a re-elected PC government will protect Ottawa’s economy by uploading the city’s light-rail transit (LRT) network to the province, similar to the ownership model for local transit in other parts of Ontario. Uploading the LRT will free up significant life cycle and capital payment funds for Ottawa to focus on transit operations and invest in other priorities, helping to support local taxpayers and keep costs down for hardworking families.
“We’ve made historic investments in Ottawa because we recognize its importance as our nation’s capital, Ontario’s second-largest city and Eastern Ontario’s major economic hub,” said Doug Ford. “With the threat of President Trump’s tariffs continuing to loom over our province and country, it’s more important than ever that we invest to support taxpayers and critical infrastructure through our plan to protect Ontario. Uploading Ottawa’s LRT to the province is the latest step we’re taking to save taxpayers money and improve local services as we treat Ottawa fairly.”
A re-elected PC government would upload the Ottawa LRT, subject to due diligence, and integrate its operations under Metrolinx. This integration would create new opportunities to reduce costs and improve services through greater economies of scale and expertise in managing large projects, particularly as the LRT project completes Stage 2 and begins Stage 3 expansion.
Today’s announcement builds on the New Deal for Ottawa, which the Ontario PC government delivered in March 2024. The New Deal includes nearly $550 million in historic investments in infrastructure, roads and highways, social services and public safety and reflects the Ontario PCs’ recognition of Ottawa’s unique position as the national capital and regional economic and service hub of Eastern Ontario.
Among the Ontario PCs’ commitment to Ottawa through the New Deal are:
- $56 million to repair and upgrade Highway 174, as well as the eventual uploading of the highway to the province.
- $181 million for highways and transit, including the construction of a phased interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road; up to $80 million for the Kanata North Transitway; and up to $50 million to repair and upgrade rural roads in Ottawa.
- $48 million to support public safety, with a particular focus on safety in the Byward Market and on transit.
Only Doug Ford has a plan to protect Ontario:
- Building Ontario’s economy by investing more than $200 billion in our plan to build roads, highways, transit and other infrastructure projects while investing $2.5 billion to train more than one million people for better jobs and bigger paycheques in the skilled trades.
- Protecting workers in the face of President Trump’s tariffs by doing whatever is necessary to protect people’s livelihoods, including by investing tens of billions of dollars to keep people working.
- Keeping us competitive by fighting the job-killing Liberal carbon tax and urging the federal government to cut red tape and streamline approvals to get big things built.
- Cleaning up our streets by protecting families and children by banning drug injection sites near schools and daycares and clearing out encampments from public parks with new investments in shelters.
- Delivering better care, including by investing $1.8 billion more to connect everyone in Ontario to a family doctor and primary care.
Doug Ford will never stop working to protect Ontario.
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