City of Brampton welcomes Ontario’s 2023 Budget investments in supportive housing, international investment attraction, and transit enhancements for Brampton residents
The Voice of Canada News:
The City of Brampton welcomes the Province of Ontario’s 2023 Budget, ‘Building a Strong Ontario’, released by Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario’s Minister of Finance.
The provincial budget supports Brampton residents and businesses through key investments in supportive housing, international investment attraction, and fare integration enhancements for Brampton Transit users.
The province is investing an additional $202 million each year in the Homelessness Prevention Program and Indigenous Supportive Housing Program to help provide local long-term housing solutions and support services people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Through continued collaboration with the province, the City will work to ensure that all have a safe place to call home.
The City will continue its partnership with the province in driving international investment in Brampton and beyond with the new provincial investment of $4 million in 2023–24 to support attraction of more entrepreneurs and business investment to help drive local economic growth. Part of this support will help diversify Brampton’s local economy by attracting international entrepreneurs and business investment through the Brampton Innovation District. The Brampton Innovation District is home to a number of innovation partners including BHive Brampton, an incubator program offering international startups and entrepreneurs the tools, resources and space to establish their businesses in Ontario.
The City also welcomes additional fare integration measures for Brampton Transit with PRESTO that will improve the user experience for Brampton Transit riders. Through Budget 2023, the Government of Ontario is eliminating double fares for most local transit when using GO Transit services. This means that after riders pay their fare for a GO bus or train, they do not pay again when accessing Brampton Transit. Brampton Transit riders will have more options to pay fares on a PRESTO device, including with credit cards, smartphones, or smartwatches.
The City also welcomes the funding highlighted in the budget that will continue advancing previously announced projects that have a direct impact on the City of Brampton and its residents, including:
• Transformation of the existing site and urgent care centre into a new 24/7 inpatient care hospital at Peel Memorial in Brampton, in partnership with the William Osler Health System, allowing development of an emergency department and meet the evolving needs of one of Ontario’s fastest growing communities.
• Partnership to support Stellantis’ $3.6 billion investment to retool and modernize its Windsor and Brampton plants while also expanding its Automotive Research and Development Centre in Windsor by building two Centres of Competency.
• Bridge rehabilitation and interchange improvements from Courtneypark Drive to Queen Street of the Highway 410 in Brampton.
• New bus loop opening for GO Transit and Brampton Transit users, bringing two bus services to one location, making it easier for customers to connect to their GO Train.
• Hazel McCallion Line which will bring an environmentally friendly and reliable transportation system to Mississauga and Brampton
• Increased PRESTO discounts for youth and post secondary students and continues to provide more riders with more options and convenient ways to pay. This GO Transit co‐fare discount applies to Brampton Transit.
Quotes
“The 2023 Ontario budget has lots of wins for Brampton. The City of Brampton welcomes the new 2023 provincial budget investments in supportive housing, international investment attraction, and transit enhancements for Brampton residents. The City continues to tackle homelessness and support residents facing this challenge and knows the provincial allocation of more than $200 million a year will help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The City also is partnering with the province through their additional $4 million commitment to attract international investment to Brampton and beyond through BHive Brampton in our Innovation District. The City also supports the new fare integration measures and bus loop at the Bramalea GO Station that provide an improved user experience for transit users in Brampton and across the GTA.”-Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
