10 September 2010

Lock Up Rail Funding:  Chamber

MPP Jeff Leal talks about the railway link from Peterborough County to
Toronto at a meeting held by MP Dean Del Mastro (in back) at the
Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce building.

Peterborough Ontario - If $300 million in provincial and federal government money earmarked for bringing commuter rail service to Peterborough is not locked up, there is the potential both governments could spend the money elsewhere.
 
That possibility was raised during a Thursday morning meeting looking further into what the region can do to ensure the proposed rail line is built.
 
It also prompted a half-joking Stu Harrison, general manager of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, to remark that his organization could set up a trust account for the money to make sure it's ready for whoever eventually takes ownership of the rail line.
 
"This is about securing the money," he said.
 
The meeting, held fittingly in the Chamber of Commerce office at the former downtown train station, hosted a number of politicians from neighbouring regions and business professionals from the rail industry. The intent was to further local MP Dean Del Mastro's idea of creating a not-for-profit organization that would own the proposed rail company.
 
At a previous meeting, MP Del Mastro said a board of municipal representatives could manage the company while Canadian Pacific Railway could hand over the rail lines to this new organization, for a hefty charitable donation tax receipt.
 
Yet while both the federal and provincial governments have pledged a combined $300 million for the project, the concern was raised that if the funding is not locked up now, either one or both governments may find another community where it could be spent.
 
MP Del Mastro and MPP Jeff Leal were somewhat not committal about the Chamber's proposal.
 
"I would like to use that cheque," said MPP Leal. "The investment needs to be made."
 
MP Dean Del Mastro was also non-committal, but emphasized a future meeting needs to take place after the municipal election.
 
"The fact that this will work is a no-brainer," said Barry Devolin, the Conservative MP for Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, and Brock.
 
Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones said he doesn't see how people can't endorse the general concept and that the local representatives owe it to their regions to get on the same page.
 
MPP Leal pointed out the rail lines could be reworked for better freight service for $150 million, which he noted needs to be done along certain sections of the rail line in Peterborough County.
 
Mayoral candidate Daryl Bennett says he supports the idea since it will benefit the community, but he wants to make sure rider fares aren't subsidized.
 
Mayor Paul Ayotte, up for re-election, said he came into the meeting worried the upper levels of government might be downloading the rail service, but he has more confidence in the plan now.
 
"I've got to know the impacts to my community," he says.
 
Joel Wiebe.