KITCHENER - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ontario Premier Doug Ford is slamming the brakes on public transit projects that the federal government is waiting to fund.

"The current Conservative government in Ontario has not approved a single infrastructure project with the federal government over the past year," Trudeau said Tuesday during a stop in Kitchener.

"We have a large amount of money ready to be invested in tangible infrastructure projects like public transit ... and the provincial government under Doug Ford does not want to partner with us to make those investments."

Trudeau's comments came in response to a reporter's question about improving transportation links in the Waterloo Region - Toronto corridor.

"We've been patient with the Doug Ford government, we've been highlighting this behind closed doors and privately to them that they really need to flow this money," Trudeau said.

"I am now saying it very publicly that the provincial government in Ontario is letting down Ontarians and is going to be missing this construction season if they don't come to the table and show us what projects they want to partner on with us."

The provincial government fired back, calling this "a desperate attempt to change the channel" as the federal Liberals head into a fall election rocked by theSNC-Lavalin scandal.

"Just to put this in perspective, we are in the first year of a 10-year infrastructure plan," provincial Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton said in a statement to The Record.

"We understand the federal government has an election to worry about. But we don't answer to the Justin Trudeau re-election campaign. We answer to the people. And we will always do what's best for the people of Ontario."

McNaughton said his government is undertaking a review of all spending commitments in light of "a hidden $15 billion deficit" left by Kathleen Wynne's Liberals.

Last week's provincial budget paused all capital funding for a proposed high-speed rail corridor from Toronto to Windsor. There was no new information on other local transportation projects, including two-way, all-day GO train service between Waterloo Region and Toronto, and a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph.

"Our government was elected on a mandate to get people moving and we are delivering more transit for people in Waterloo Region and across Ontario," Ministry of Transportation press secretary Andrew Buttigieg said in a statement.

January's announcement of 25-per-cent more GO train service to Kitchener was an important step in the plan for two-way, all-day service, he said. "In our budget, we committed to deliver a transportation plan for southwestern Ontario by this fall," Buttigieg added.

McNaughton insisted that he and federal counterpart Fran�ois-Philippe Champagne have met in person and by phone numerous times, and that the two governments have had "a positive and productive relationship" - at least until the federal attacks on infrastructure spending began.

In March, the federal budget essentially doubled payments from the gas tax fund to municipalities for infrastructure projects for a year, a move Trudeau described Tuesday as "a bit of an around run" thanks in part to provincial delays.

McNaughton, however, said Ontario and Ottawa had come to an understanding on funding rules laid out by the Investing in Canada infrastructure program, adding the province had opened two of four funding streams.

bdavis@therecord.com

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