Wilson: McGuinty Liberals stalling GO Train service to Barrie

Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson slammed the Liberals for stalling the expansion of passenger rail service to Barrie and accused the Ontario government of playing politics with transit funding for the region.

"The federal government and the City of Barrie have done their due diligence," Wilson said. "The province is reneging on a deal to buy the rail corridor at fair market value from the City of Barrie. The McGuinty government has essentially halted progress on the project by insisting that the Province pay 1995 prices for the land." The original agreement

requires the federal, provincial and municipal governments to chip in $8.3 million each, while the province was to buy the rail corridor. Unfortunately, the Province doesn't want to pay fair market value resulting in a loss of $2 million of revenue to Barrie and therefore putting an extra burden on local taxpayers.

Rumour is that the McGuinty government is going to put the money elsewhere in the province because they don't think there are any votes for them in Simcoe County.

"This is a horrible way to run a government," said Wilson. "Clearly, Dalton

McGuinty and his Ministers don't take their oath of office seriously which states that they are to govern for all of the people in Ontario, In my 16 years, I've never seen such blatant partisan nonsense."

Wilson concluded: "This issue highlights Mr. McGuinty's non-existent plan for solving gridlock and protecting our environment from harmful emissions."

The local MPP encouraged constituents to visit www.gridlocked.ca and provide their ideas to the P.C. Gridlock Task Force that is seeking a solution to Ontario's growing transportation crisis.