Investing for growth

The Greater Golden Horseshoe in southern Ontario is one of the fastest-growing regions in North America. The population of the region is expected to grow from 8.2 million in 2004 to 11.5 million by 2031. Over the next five years, investments allocated from province-wide programs described in this document will direct more than $7.5 billion to this region to improve public infrastructure. Additional investments in a variety of sectors including education, have not been included in this amount.

The Greater Golden Horseshoe is the economic engine of Ontario and, indeed, Canada. It has a well-diversified economy and, in 2004, this region is estimated to have contributed approximately 70 per cent of Ontario's GDP and 29 per cent of Canada's GDP.

Growth is positive, but for the past two decades development has been allowed to happen in a haphazard way. The resulting urban sprawl and gridlock are strangling our economy and diminishing our quality of life.

Today, we are faced with the problems derived from past mistakes.