CivicAction Applauds Political Pledges for Regional Transportation Funding

17 elected officials join 700+ residents to sign Your32 pledge at 32-day mark

TORONTO, April 30, 2013 /CNW/ - With 32 days until Metrolinx has to submit its Big Move investment strategy to the provincial and municipal governments, CivicAction's Your32 campaign to tackle gridlock has secured the pledge of over 700 residents and 17 elected officials. They are pledging to "get a move on" and find the money needed to build an efficient, affordable and accessible regional transportation network.
Signatories include Premier Kathleen Wynne and Ministers Glen Murray and Charles Sousa along with other municipal and provincial elected officials from across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Region (GTHA).

The CivicAction pledge has also been taken by:

• Mayors Rick Goldring of Burlington and Robert Grossi of Georgina
• Councillors Ana Bailao of Toronto, Arnold Hufmann of Milton, Bonnie Crombie and Ron Starr of Mississauga, Don Hamilton of Markham, Doug Dickerson of Pickering, Godwin Chan of Richmond Hill, Joanne Dies of Ajax, Tom Adams and Marc Grant of Oakville, Marianne Meed Ward of Burlington and Tony Carella of Vaughan.

With a broad cross-section of support and 32 days left until Metrolinx has to submit its report, CivicAction is calling for more elected officials and residents to join this movement and take the pledge.

CivicAction's campaign invites residents, civic leaders and politicians across the GTHA to pledge their support for new sources of revenue to fully build the regional transportation plan, The Big Move, provided they are dedicated, efficient, transparent & accountable, regional, fair and sustainable.

Since the pledge was launched on April 17 at the CivicAction Forum: Our Region, Our Move, more than 700 GTHA residents have visited Your32.com to encourage their elected officials to join them in taking the pledge and taking action to move the region forward.

"Our congestion has reached a crisis point - taking a toll on our health, our economy, our environment, and our quality of life," said Mitzie Hunter, CivicAction CEO. "These early results show how much residents want to see action under the conditions important to them, and reinforce what CivicAction has been hearing since we started our dialogue with GTHA residents last October."

"Seeing the early support of elected officials is extremely encouraging," said John Tory, Chair of CivicAction.  "We look forward to building on this success in advance of when Metrolinx delivers its Investment Strategy by June 1. Then it will be up to our politicians to show true leadership and make the tough choices that will deliver the transportation network this region needs to grow and prosper."

About CivicAction's Your32 campaign - CivicAction and its 50+ team of civic Champions and Regional Co-Captains aim to build support for a better regional transportation system and the need for new sustainable ways to pay for it. For more information, visit www.your32.com.

About CivicAction - For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships with organizations, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. For more information, visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

Image with caption: "CivicAction Chair John Tory and CEO Mitzie Hunter take the Your32 pledge to tackle gridlock (CNW Group/CivicAction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130430_C2069_PHOTO_EN_26186.jpg

Image with caption: ""What Would You Do For 32?" logo (CNW Group/CivicAction)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130430_C2069_PHOTO_EN_26187.jpg

SOURCE: CivicAction

For further information:

To arrange a media interview or for any additional information, please contact:

Michael Diamond, CivicAction
Office: 416.3094480 X 513
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