Bill Mauro is taking a second stab at increasing Canadian content requirements for mass-transit purchases involving provincial dollars.
On Tuesday the Liberal MPP (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) introduced a private member’s bill at Queen’s Park that if passed would require municipalities to ensure at least 60 percent of the cost of transit buys be made in Ontario.
The bill would also require final assembly to take part in the province.
Under former premier Dalton McGuinty Mauro attempted to get similar legislation passed, but the requirement was reduced to 25 per cent.
“Our government has invested billions into mass transit in Ontario directly resulting in 1,200 new jobs at our Bombardier plant in Thunder Bay bringing the total workforce to approximately 1,400. While my previous work on this file has resulted in a 25 per cent Canadian content policy I believe we can do more to leverage even greater job creation in this sector, “ Mauro said in a release.
“My bill, the Buy in Canada for Mass Transit Vehicles Act, if passed, would accomplish just that.”