By David Hu
Current policies demand urgent infrastructure planning, necessitating visionary MPs. The foundation of the economy rests on infrastructure, propelling technological progress, which, in turn, fuels economic growth.
We have put forth short-to-long-term goals, including the Technology Corridor plan, high-speed rail infrastructure, positioning Canada as a tech hub, and fostering economic recovery.
Related: Together, let’s build for Canada: Technology
It is indeed an unsound strategy to provide tax breaks with one hand while compensating by increasing other taxes with the other hand. Unfortunately, this is the situation we currently face, exemplified by measures such as the carbon tax and property tax increases.
The primary focus should be on relieving the burden of the carbon tax on the people for short-term recovery.
For the next few decades, the key to boosting and steering Canada’s economic growth lies in the development of infrastructure and technology corridors. This strategic approach is crucial for the country’s progress over the next 30-40 years.
Once the infrastructure is initiated, it will alleviate the pressure on the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) within a few years. The shift of jobs and transportation outside of the GTA will contribute to redistributing the population.
Many politicians argue that our rail infrastructure is a chicken-and-egg problem. However, looking back to the 19th century, when there weren’t enough chickens and eggs, we built the cross-Canada railway. This railway has transformed our economy for over a hundred years. Increased speed translates to shorter travel times, allowing people to live outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) while still having convenient access to it.
For example, if we had High-Speed Rail (HSR) 30 years ago, would we be experiencing the overcrowding in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that we currently face? With the ability to transport people from Kingston to the GTA within an hour, Kingston could have significantly shared the population burden.
