Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman is in Ottawa meeting with his counterparts from other big Canadian cities, and says getting federal funding to recoup transit funding shortfalls during the pandemic is a priority.
Bowman said many of Canada’s big cities — Winnipeg included — are hemorrhaging money to keep transit running, and he hopes the federal government steps up like it has in the past.
Discussions with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday, he said, have shown some positive development.
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“We’re really grateful just to have constructive dialogue with the prime minister and with each other today here in Ottawa, to talk about how we work with this new minority Parliament to really drive a strong inclusive and sustainable post-COVID recovery,” Bowman said.
“That’s going to include not just housing, homelessness, climate change work, but also on public transit.”
The transit file, he said, will impact the provincial government as well, and he’s looking forward to working with the winner of the Manitoba PC leadership race, which will crown either Shelly Glover or Heather Stefanson as the new premier later this month.
“We’ve got a $203-million cheque waiting for Winnipeg Transit in Ottawa, it just needs the province to put forward that request. Council’s been waiting for that for some time,” Bowman said.
“That’s an easy thing for the new premier to do on day one.”