NDP calls on province to boost city's infrastructure

NDP MPP and Infrastructure Critic Percy Hatfield was in Greater Sudbury on Tuesday to call on the provincial government about acting on Sudbury area infrastructure needs.

“People here know that roads and bridges have been needing fixing for years,” Hatfield said in a press release.

“I am going to make sure the (Liberal Premier Kathleen) Wynne government gets moving on inspecting and acting on the much needed repairs before there is a tragedy.”

Hatfield criticized the province for spending billions on the gas-plant controversy in southern Ontario, while communities like Sudbury have a long list of infrastructure projects that require the support of the province to complete.

“The Wynne government had no problem wasting billions on cancelling gas plants in the Toronto area in order to hold on to two ridings,” Hatfield said in the release.

He also said the government needs to get serious about regional planning in light of the stalled Ring of Fire project.

“It’s clear Northern Ontario has tremendous potential for companies to invest here because of its resources and skilled and experienced workers to get the job done,” Hatfield said. “Northern Ontario needs a provincial government that puts it at the top of the agenda. Instead, the Wynne government’s priorities are skewed towards political opportunities in the Toronto area costing tax payers billions of dollars in scandals and lost economic development opportunities in Northern Ontario.”

The NDP’s infrastructure critic committed to advocating on behalf of Sudbury and Northern Ontario’s infrastructure needs in the provincial legislature.