Mayor readies demands for Ontario's next premier

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson knows exactly whichissues he'll raise with Ontario's next premier following his or her election Thursday.

Watson is keen to confirm the nextprovincial government honours commitments already made to lightrail and affordable housing in Ottawa, and wants to ensurecities aren't left picking up the slack for funding decisions made at Queen's Park.

Asked which candidate he'd like to see lead the province, the mayora former member of the Liberal cabinet at Queen's Parkadmittedhisbias. Watsonfavours his old party "for the simple reason that they have been good partners," he said Tuesday.

But it's not clear what a Ford government would mean for the City of Ottawa because the PC platform has been "vague," he said.

Watson asked all three political parties to answer a survey relating to municipal issues, and released the results this week.

See the survey results here.

Trillium Line extension

Just before the election began, the Liberal government promised to fully fund a three kilometre LRT extensionto the edge of the urban boundary,south of Earl Armstrong Road.

The New Democrats told Watson they would honour the Liberalfunding commitment.

While all parties responded to Watson's questionnaire, PC Leader Doug Ford didn't answer the mayor's question about the Trillium Line.

"We still have a question out about the Conservative support for the $50 million for the Riverside South extension," Watson said Tuesday.

Ford did say his government would honour its commitment to Phase 2 of the city's LRTplan, a much larger investment.

'We don't want to go through what we went through in the 1990s'

6 years ago

Duration 0:32

Mayor Jim Watson says no matter who wins Thursday's provincial election, he doesn't want to see provincial costs downloaded to municipal taxpayers.

Uploading agreement

Ford also didn't answer Watson's question about provincial uploading.

When Watson was a member of the Liberal cabinet, he signed a $1.5-billion uploading agreement ensuringcities wouldn'tbe held financially responsiblefor programs the province is supposed to pay for, including social services.

That agreement ends this year, andWatson wants to make sure thedeal is maintained.

"It's my No.1preoccupation," Watson said.

Local Liberal and NDPcandidates agreed to maintain the agreements.

Wynne'courageous'

Watson commended Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne for acknowledgingthis past weekend she willnot be re-elected premier.

"I think it was gutsy to have to pull yourself, in essence, out of the election and realize you're not going to be the premier after Thursday," Watson said.

As for whether Watson is considering abandoning his own mayoral campaign to take over the Liberal party, the mayor politely declined.

"I'm very happy where I am, thank you for asking."