Ontario election: Here’s what the 4 main parties have on their agendas for Ottawa

Ontario’s snap election campaign is in full swing, and the four main political party leaders are laying out their plans for the capital ahead of the election day on Feb. 27.

The four main leaders have been campaigning to fix multiple issues in the province, including healthcare, affordability, crime and education. In Ottawa, the campaigns are focusing on the city’s biggest challenge, the transit system.

RECAP: Ontario’s party leaders squared off in a debate on Family Day. These were the highlights.

Ontario Liberal Party

Uploading Ottawa’s troubling Light Transit System (LRT) system to the province is on the agenda for Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie. She told CTV Morning Live Wednesday the capital “has been neglected” by the current government, pointing out infrastructure and transportation needs.

“I have spoken with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and I have let him know that that’s our promise, (which is) to upload the operating costs of the LRT. The LRT should be expanded to Kanata and Barrhaven,” Crombie said.

Crombie is also promising to upload the cost of Highway 174 to the Ontario government.

“And I’m going to come here as often as I can,” Crombie said. “I’m not going to be the premier who wouldn’t show up in times of crisis, (such as) during the convoy crisis and the tornado that happened.”

Progressive Conservative Party

Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford has also promised to upload responsibility of Ottawa’s LRT network to the province. On Feb. 4, Ford announced the PC Party would “build on the new deal” between Ottawa and Ontario if re-elected on Feb. 27.

“A re-elected PC government would upload the Ottawa LRT, subject to due diligence, and integrate its operations under Metrolinx,” the PC Party said.

“This integration would create new opportunities to reduce costs and improve services through greater economies of scale and expertise in managing large projects, particularly as the LRT project completes Stage 2 and begins Stage 3 expansion.”

Ford said Ontario uploading the LRT to Metrolinx would save the city $4 billion over 30 years, which would “free up significant funds and capital” for the city to “invest in other priorities.”

“We’re going to take the burden off of Ottawa. Their number one anchor around their neck is the cost of this LRT,” Ford said. “We all saw what happened on Phase 1; we’re correcting that, all of us. Phase 2, it’s going to be much better, and Phase 3 will be great.”

The new Ottawa-Ontario deal announced last March included the eventual uploading of Highway 174 to the province and funding for a new interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road and up to $80 million for the Kanata North Transitway.

“In the past year alone, the premier has visited Ottawa eight times, including to announce a historic $543 million new deal with the city, additional funding to build more homes faster, a new interchange at Highway 416, a new nursing program at Carleton University and more,” Ford’s office told CTV News Ottawa in an email Wednesday.

NDP Leader

Ontario’s New Democrats leader Marit Stiles is promising a different plan for transit in the capital.

“The NDP transit plan, in a nutshell, is to provide 50/50 cost-sharing on operational dollars for municipalities for transit,” said Ontario NDP candidate in Ottawa Centre, Catherine McKenney.

McKenney questioned Ford’s motives when asked about the timing of his campaign promise.

“There was a Private Members’ Bill brought to Queen’s Park from the NDP, asking for operational funding for cities and it was voted against by every single conservative MPP,” they said.

“So, it is a bit rich that today, in the middle of the campaign, they’re thinking about doing it, but I don’t think they were very firm. They’re going to look into whether it was feasible or not, but again, replacing one (public-private partnership) with another, both of them with poor reputations for delivering service on time, doesn’t fill me with any confidence.”

Green Party

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is promising to grant autonomy to municipalities to allow them to implement revenue tools to fund critical infrastructure needs and services; upload costs for community housing, shelters and transit funding that the party says were unfairly downloaded onto municipalities; and assess the use of City Charters to empower major cities and prevent inappropriate provincial government interference.

The four party leaders sparred in a 90-minute debate Monday night, reiterating the following in their closing statements:

Ford reiterated that he would fight tariff threats.

Crombie asked those who previously voted NDP to vote for her party instead.

Stiles said rising costs are hurting people and weakening the province. She took aim at Ford for “quitting his job” in the face of tariff threats.

Meanwhile, Schreiner said “I will fight for you,” noting that his MPPs would be local champions who would be responsible to the electors rather than the party.

FULL COVERAGE: Everything you need to know about the Ontario Election

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle