$35 BILLION EARMARKED FOR ONTARIO INFRASTRUCTURE

The Ontario government will spend $35 billion over the next three years on numerous infrastructure projects around the province.
The spending was outlined in a plan called Building Together released by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
The money had been announced in the 2011 budget, but the plan - which is an infrastructure blueprint for the next 10 years - contains more detail on where the funds will go.
Priorities are finishing the Windsor-Essex Parkway and 407 East extension through Durham Region and expanding Ontario's network of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.
The province will also rehabilitate highways, bridges and culverts, add at least 500 kilometres of highway, and create a truly regional transit system in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas.
Money will also be used to repair schools and finish construction of 49 post-secondary projects.
Meanwhile, the province will complete 27 major hospital projects under construction and invest in three to five major hospital expansions and redevelopment projects each year.
The government has invested $62 billion in infrastructure since 2003, but the plan notes more work remains to be done.
"Despite record levels of investment over the last seven years, the case for continued investment and strategic planning is as compelling as ever," the plan's authors say in an executive summary.
"Our competitiveness is at stake. Jurisdictions around the world are pouring massive new resources into infrastructure to address their own infrastructure deficits and to spur economic growth."
Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli said the plan will help contractors prepare for the future.
"A 10-year plan setting out the government's priorities allows contractors to effectively plan their capital investments in plant, equipment and materials," he said. "It helps to ensure that a well-trained workforce is available when it is needed."