Manitoba throne speech promises plan to move railways, end to child-care wait

Manitoba's NDP government has delivered a pre-election throne speech that includes plans to move rail lines out of Winnipeg with the help of a new "rail park" and apledge to end wait times for child-care spaces.

The speech, read by Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon on Monday, will be the last for Premier Greg Selinger and his government before Manitobans go to the polls on April 19.

• Throne speech too little, too late, say opposition politicians
• Planning begins to move rail lines out of Winnipeg

Among other things, the throne speechmentionsplans by CentrePort Canada to break ground next year on a rail park, which the province says will help move rail lines out of Winnipeg.

"For far too long, rail lines have divided our capital city. It is time to move the tracks and open up opportunities for urban renewal," the speech states in part.

"This initiative will create opportunities to build stronger and safer neighbourhoods and communities with less rail traffic. The creation of the CentrePort Canada Rail Park will help us achieve that."

A committee that will include Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National officials will produce a detailed study to submit to federal officials, as is required under federal transport legislation, the province said.

Selinger told reporters that thereare are opportunities to capitalize on a few projects quickly.

"There's a couple of projects on railroad location that I think are within reach within the next few years to get commitments and lock them down the beach line, up in the North End, and we think there's an opportunity with the Burlington/Northern facility in south Winnipeg to be better hooked up with CentrePort," Selinger said.

Meanwhile, a CentrePort spokesperson told CBC News its project is "not connected to the broader conversation/study around rail relocation."

The spokesperson said it's building a "common-use rail facility" that will allow for multiple railways, including CP, CN and BNSF Railway, to serve businesses in the area, with the goal of bringing more businesses to the area where the inland air, ground and rail port is located.

While the agency spokesperson said they haven't been studying the idea of moving Winnipeg's rail yards to CentrePort, officials will be involved in the committee that will look at the issue.

$1B partnership with Winnipeg

The New Democrats said theircurrent five-year, $5.5-billion infrastructure plan,which wasintroduced two years ago, will be extended past 2020, and another$4.5 billion will be spent on roads, bridges, flood protection structures and other projects.

"We've already seen the Canadian economy's forecast has been projected to slow down,"Selingersaid.

"This is not the time to put the brakes on investment and job creation, because it will actually reinforce that downward trend in economic growth, which will make us all worse off."

The throne speech also details a new"enhanced and flexible partnership" with the City of Winnipeg that would provide $1 billion over five yearswhich Selinger saidis a 25 per cent increase in funding for the cityfor roads, public transit, wastewater treatment plants and recreation centres.

The partnership would help replace the Louise Bridge, extend the Chief Peguis Trail west and upgrade Kenaston Boulevard, as well as complete the southwest leg of the rapid transit corridor to the University of Manitoba.

Brandon is also promised new and improved infrastructure, with the throne speech including a school in the city's south end, a redeveloped North Hill Assiniboine Community College campus and expanded Daly overpass.

Rural and northern communities will benefit from a new Growing Communities Fund to build and renew roads, bridges, water and sewer infrastructure and recreation centres.

The throne speech also promised to expand cellphone and broadband service and upgrade highways and roads across the province, including single-access roads into remote communities such as the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation.