Premier Kathleen Wynne says no matter how controversial, she is not backing off on raising taxes or fees to fund improved transit for the GTA and Hamilton.

Wynne said Ontarians know full well her government is determined to find money for transit, which she says has been neglected for years.

“There is no debate about whether we need more transit in the city of Toronto and in the GTHA,” she told reporters Wednesday after touring the Danforth Child Care Centre.

“The biggest obstacle is the cost so we have got to find ways to have a dedicated revenue stream that will allow us to build that transit,” she said.

Later in the day, the premier’s agenda moved one step closer to fruition after the budget motion passed first reading 65-36.

Liberals — including former premier Dalton McGuinty and ailing former minister Harinder Takhar — joined forces with the New Democrats to pass the motion. The Progressive Conservatives voted against it.

It’s expected to clear second and third reading within the next week or so.

On the transit file, the minority Liberal government is facing opposition in the legislature with its plans to find billions of dollars annually for Toronto and area.

Wynne said how Queen's Park goes about that will be debated at length and if an election is called transit will be front and centre of the Liberals' re-election campaign.

Wynne said the big picture is not just about spending money, but rather creating jobs and “allowing the economy to boom in the GTHA, which affects the whole province.”

“We will have lots of back and forth . . . But at the end of the day we need a common understanding of how we are going to build that transit. I am not going to shy away from that because it is an opportunity right now . . . and without a dedicated revenue stream that's not going to happen,” she said.

It has been estimated that it could cost Ontarians $477 per household each year to pay for the aggressive transit plan put forward by Metrolinx, which has already met hostile reaction from many taxpayers.

“It should be no surprise to anyone in the GTHA or beyond that we're committed to continuing to build transit,” Wynne said.

“We are going to find a dedicated revenue stream to build transit.”

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Mayor Rob Ford denounces Metrolinx transit taxes

With files from Robert Benzie

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