Outside of the St. John’s Airport ahead of his swing up to Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador NDP leader Jim Dinn announced the NL NDP’s commitment to implement a regional transit strategy – launching a taskforce made up of leaders from municipalities, businesses, and communities to develop a clear plan to lower transportation costs and get a better deal for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
“The costs have gotten too high. It’s not sustainable and we’ve got to take action,” said Dinn. “No one person has the solution here. Too often, we’ve seen decisions made behind closed doors without proper consultation with the people on the ground. We need to lower transportation costs – period.”
Since 2019, transportation costs for Labrador residents have skyrocketed, nearly doubling over the last few years and far outpacing the national average. The average cost for flights between St. John’s and Happy Valley-Goose Bay have risen by 33.1 per cent, while flights between St. John’s and Wabush have risen by 47 per cent.
The Liberal government has chosen to do nothing, washing their hands of the issue while trying to pass the buck. In fact, they’ve outright ignored the rising costs for Labrador residents, leaving them out of their announced “air travel loop” deal with PAL Airlines ($174,310 in donations to the Liberals and $85,900 in donations to the Conservatives since 2010) – with the Goose Bay Airport Association CEO calling it ‘shocking and disappointing’ at the time of the announcement.
An NL NDP government would immediately convene a taskforce through the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to study travel patterns, needs, and gaps in the transportation options currently available, and examine best practices from other jurisdictions that improve service and reduce costs. The taskforce will engage in public consultations and deliver a final go-forward strategy to lower costs for residents within two years.
Dinn made the announcement on his way up to Labrador where he’ll spend the next couple days meeting with voters and sharing the NL NDP’s plan to get Labradorians a better deal. Labrador has a long history of strong NDP representation, fighting to expand affordable housing, increased access to healthcare, and good-paying jobs for Labradorians. Dinn stressed that headed up to the region in the first week of the campaign shows just how important Labrador is to the province and will work to expand the party’s presence and seats.
“Labrador plays such a critical role in our province but for decades, both Liberal and Conservative governments have only focused on the resources it produces while forgetting the people who make it possible,” said Dinn. “Labrador has so much opportunity and promise and it’s time they had a government that prioritizes getting a better deal for the people who call it home.”