Arnott invites new Minister of Transportation to visit Wellington-Halton Hills
(Queen’s Park) – The Town of Halton Hills’ transportation issues were once again raised at Queen’s Park on March 21st.
The following is the text of remarks written and delivered by Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott, taken from Hansard, the Official Report of Debates in the Ontario Legislature:
Mr. Ted Arnott: Last fall, the Legislature unanimously endorsed my private member’s resolution which called upon the Minister of Transportation to partner with the town of Halton Hills to develop a long-term transportation strategy for the town. I worked with the mayor and staff of the town of Halton Hills on it, and our efforts were supported by town council. I spoke of the possible need for a Highway 7 Acton bypass; the issues surrounding the proposed commercial development of 340 Main Street, Acton; the Halton-Peel Boundary Area Transportation Study, which could lead to the construction of bypasses in Georgetown and Norval—a study which had been put on hold because of the GTA west corridor study; the promised all-day, two-way GO train service from Kitchener-Waterloo to Union Station with stops in Wellington-Halton Hills; the town’s role in the government’s decision to widen the 401 from Milton to Mississauga; and the need for traffic signals near the Sands condominium in Georgetown.
We called upon the Ministry of Transportation to be a funding partner and to support the town’s vision of building and ensuring safe and efficient transportation opportunities for our residents and businesses. In response, the ministry says we need to show that there are operational benefits to the provincial King’s Highway 7 before they will determine whether or not they will become a funding partner in phase 2 of the town’s study. I don’t think that will be a problem.
We have a new Minister of Transportation, appointed on January 17. She has the confidence of the Premier, and she represents a riding adjacent to mine. I am happy to work with her in the remaining days of this Parliament, and I have always been willing to reach across party lines to get things done.
I invite the minister to visit the town of Halton Hills and to announce her ministry’s support as a funding partner for the town of Halton Hills long-term transportation strategy.
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Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org