Little in the budget for great cities, Miller says.
Some of the city's needs we're overlooked in Thursday's federal budget, says Toronto Mayor David Miller.
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Thursday's federal budget delivered little new for Toronto and not enough for Torontonians struggling to climb out of a deep recession, said Mayor David Miller following Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's budget speech to Parliament.
"I do want to acknowledge that the federal government has continued some investments on city building, the gas tax and the GST cut," he said. "But I'm very concerned this budget doesn't show a vision of this country and how it's going to ensure Canada succeeds - particularly in its great cities."
The budget maintains the stimulus spending announced in 2009 that will see 500 infrastructure projects in Toronto completed on schedule. But Miller said the budget ignored the city's main submissions.
"In our federal budget submission, we asked for people to be supported through the unemployment insurance program; we asked for a national transit strategy to be addressed, a national housing strategy, a national childcare strategy," he said. "These are things cities have been advocating for years. It's not just about investments. It's about understanding how the city's going to succeed."
For his part, Flaherty said the budget plan builds on Canada's economic recovery with action to create jobs and growth, sustains Canada's economic advantages and includes a disciplined plan to return to balanced budgets.
"We present today a jobs and growth budget," said Minister Flaherty.
"In this budget, we are completing our Economic Action Plan to create jobs now. We are taking additional measures to protect existing jobs and create new jobs. We are also looking ahead to secure our long-term economic growth."
The deficit is projected to decline by almost half over the next two years to $27.6 billion in 2011-12, and by two-thirds to $17.5 billion in 2012-13. In 2014-15, the deficit is projected to be $1.8 billion.
"Canada's history shows what a free people served by good government can accomplish together," said Minister Flaherty. "We are at a key moment in that history, as we emerge from the global recession. Our government means to be a partner in Canada's recovery, not an obstacle to its growth."
~ with files from Norm Nelson