The minority Liberal government is plowing ahead with controversial plans to bring in fees and or taxes to pay for Toronto and area transit improvements, Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa says.

Sousa made his comments Tuesday to the Toronto Region Board of Trade, which has lobbied for years now for all levels of government to tackle crushing GTA gridlock.

“That’s why our government will consider a range of new revenue sources to support the expansion of public transit for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area,” Sousa told the largely business crowd.

The recent Metrolinx Big Move report recommending a number of ways to raise money for expanded public transit has been met with mixed reaction, including a very definite thumbs down from Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

Sousa told the luncheon as it is now gridlock is choking the life out of the GTHA with some estimates on economic impact as high as a $6 billion annually.

The Liberal budget called for spending more than $35 billion in infrastructure spending over three years.

“We know that growth in Ontario’s economy is dependent upon the movement of goods and people,” Sousa said.

Among other things Sousa again committed to balancing the budget in four years. The projected for 2013-14 is almost $12 billion.

The treasurer also took a swipe at the Tories for suggesting across-the-board cuts and at the New Democrats for advocating “uncontrolled growth in program spending.”

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