MEDIA RELEASE

McKeever Challenges London Candidates:
For or Against London's BRT Plan?

May 22, 2018 - London, Ontario - Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever today challenged candidates in the 4 London-area ridings (London North Centre, London Fanshawe, London West, and Elgin-Middlesex-London) to state clearly whether they are for or against the Bus Rapid Transit ("BRT") plan, and whether they are in favour or opposed to provincial funding for the BRT.  Ontario's Liberal Wynne government has pledged that it will force Ontario taxpayers to pay $170M to implement the BRT plan in London.  The plan would reduce the number of lanes available to automobiles, and change the face of London by building tightly-packed towers instead of detached homes.  Without $170M in provincial funds, the BRT will not proceed.  McKeever is opposed to the BRT plan, and would vote in favour of pulling the $170M pledge.

"Londoner's deserve to know whether their candidates are in favour, or opposed, to the BRT", says McKeever.  "They deserve to know, also, which candidates would oppose provincial funding for the plan.  I challenge every candidate in the four London-area ridings to state honestly and clearly whether they are for or opposed to the BRT plan, and whether they are for or opposed to provincial funding for the BRT."

"I oppose the BRT plan and, if elected the MPP for London North Centre, I will work toward withdrawal of provincial funding for the plan.  By reducing the number of lanes available to cars, the BRT plan would make traffic congestion even worse.  In fact, traffic congestion is a deliberate goal of the BRT plan.  The BRT plan attempts to build transit ridership by increasing congestion for automobiles. 

"But traffic congestion is only one of the negative impacts of the BRT.  An even bigger negative impact is what the BRT would do to destroy the quality of living in London.

"London currently is valued as the Forest City.  However, the BRT vision is not for a canopy of trees, but for towers of concrete.  The BRT plan includes plans to force people into densely-packed apartment-style units in buildings up to 22 storeys high, with little or no parking available in the Downtown.  Instead of detached homes with children playing to the sounds of birds in sunlit grassy back yards, the BRT plan envisions Toronto-style, high-density, sardine-can living, with children left hanging out in the long shadows cast by towers onto the windy, lifeless floor of a concrete jungle.  The BRT envisions not the quaint style of living experienced in Old North and Old South, but instead condemns the city's inhabitants to tightly-packed 'Transit Villages'. 

"I ask that voters who are opposed to the BRT go to the polls on June 7, 2018, and vote for your Freedom Party candidate.  In London North Centre, that candidate is party leader Paul McKeever.  A vote for Freedom Party is a vote against the BRT."

Paul McKeever, Leader - Freedom Party of Ontario

Backgrounder: About Paul McKeever

Paul McKeever is the leader of the Freedom Party of Ontario. While living in London's Historic Woodfield community, he attended graduate school and law school at the University of Western Ontario.  He articled at the London law firm of Cohen Highley.  Since 1997, he has been in practice as a employment lawyer, representing employers and employees in the Superior Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal, the Ontario Labour Relations Board, and the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.  He is married, and is the father of two.  

For further details, contact:

Paul McKeever, Leader - Freedom Party of Ontario
e-mail: pmckeever@freedomparty.on.ca