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5| W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,M ay 17,2018 w aterloochronicle.ca Local municipalities want upgrades - and fund- ing - for public transit. And they want all potential MPPs to know. At the Region of Water- loo council meeting Wednesday night, in a mo- tion drafted by Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, all seven municipalities agreed that public trans- portation, including two- way all-day GO Transit, as well as the proposed high speed rail line, must stay top of mind for political parties as the province heads to the polls in less than a month. "I hear it from students, from teaching profession- als at the universities - I hear it across the gamut, to be honest," said McCabe. McCabe said people in her riding are particularly interested in high speed rail, which, if it continues as planned, will connect Toronto and London, with a stop in Kitchener. Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Liberal Par- ty have been insistent that it will happen, although some are not convinced, es- pecially considering the costs. The plan, which has been studied through an environmental assess- ment, has been valued at about $25 billion. The time- line for connecting Toronto and London is 2025, while a southern extension, Phase 2, is scheduled for 2031. "We think we have the best platform," said McCabe. "It is complicated. You can't just wave a magic wand and build the infra- structure that needs to be built." The Liberal party has promised that two-way all- day GO Transit service to Kitchener will happen by 2024 and according to McCabe, that target is still applicable. The issue of bringing enhanced service to Waterloo Region is much more complicated than putting more trains on the tracks, however. It would likely involved twinning portions of the tracks be- tween Kitchener and To- ronto, leading to high costs. Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife, who has been vocal on transit issues in Waterloo Region, said enhanced transit between Waterloo Region and To- ronto is a must. Fife said the priority for the NDP is the regional ex- press rail, which will dra- matically increase fre- quency of GO trains be- tween Kitchener and To- ronto, among other areas. In December, Fife intro- duced a private members' motion to get the Liberal government to commit to timelines and budgets and it passed unanimously in the house, however the government was not able to honour that commitment by the end of April, as re- quested. "They've made lots of announcements and lots of re-announcements, but they have yet to put region- al express rail in the infra- structure plan as any gov- ernment would do if they were serious about com- pleting it," said Fife. When it comes to high speed rail, Fife said the NDP is committed to re- viewing the environmental assessment, but it has to be completed in an "inclusive process" to deal with poten- tial issues. Dan Weber, the PC can- didate, did not respond to phone calls or emails. Doug Ford has said in a recent visit to Waterloo Region that he will continue with two-way all-day GO Tran- sit service, but gave no firm timeline. Ontario PC Leader Doug Ford has said that he would like to remove $6 bil- lion from the provincial budget - a number that is estimated to be around the same cost as regional ex- press rail. "If people are serious about wanting regional ex- press rail, they should keep Mr. Ford as far away as pos- sible," said Fife. PROVINCIAL ELECTION Municipalities push province on transportation needs ADAM JACKSON ajackson@waterloo chronicle.ca 85 BRIDGEPORT RD. E. WATERLOO (Across from the Bridgeport Rd. Plaza) SINCE 1971 519-893-8118 MON., TUES., WED. 10 AM - 6 PM THURS., FRI. 10 AM - 8 PM SATURDAY 9 AM - 5 PM SUNDAY 12 PM - 4 PM LET OUR SLEEP CONSULTANTS HELP YOU FIND THE PERFECT MATTRESS AT SPECIALLY REDUCED PRICES! 2-SIDED FLIPPABLE MATTRESSES & CUSTOM SIZES AVAILABLE VISIT OUR CLEARANCE CENTRE AND SAVE 30-70% ON SELECTED ITEMS!! TRUCKLOADTRUCKLOAD MATTRESSES from $138 SAVE60%UP TO on selected display models and discontinued stock • Custom Orthotics / Knee Braces • Flat Feet / High Arched Feet • Heel Pain / Plantar Fasciitis / Bunions • Laser Therapy for Pain and Inflammation • Laser Therapy for Fungal Nails, Warts and Corns • Nail Problems (fungal, ingrown) Services covered under extended health plans Serge Petrusic BSc, DCh, Chiropodist Also services for ... • Warts, Corns, Calluses • Diabetic Foot Care • Senior's Foot Care & ... more Visit kwfoot.com to learn more or call 519-884-4200 279 Weber St. N. Suite 17 Waterloo, ON N2J 3H8 519-884-4200 kwfoot.com Also for Doctors referral not necessary Laser treatment is the most sophisticated treatment of the fungal nail infection to date. There are no side effects, no age limitations and the success rate is high. Patients are able to return to their regular activities immediately after the treatment. Before after Are you tired of ugly nail syndrome? We have the latest laser technology that can help.