Conservative leader Scheer meets with Toronto mayor

TORONTO — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer and Toronto Mayor John Tory said they discussed affordable housing, gun control, transit and infrastructure in a meeting on Friday, touting the importance of strong federal-municipal relations.

The pair spoke behind closed doors at Toronto City Hall before addressing the media in a joint press conference.

“John and I spoke about the challenges people in Toronto and the region face every day, including the high cost of living, the affordability of housing, the need for investment in infrastructure that helps improve the quality of life in the entire region,” Scheer said.

Tory said he prides himself on being able to maintain good relationships with political parties at all levels of government.

“I’ve been very clear as mayor that I don’t belong to any political party anymore, that I’m on Team Toronto,” said Tory, who led Ontario’s Progressive Conservative party from 2004 to 2009.

Tory said he was confident that Scheer, if elected prime minister, would continue to fund local transit projects, noting that the Conservative leader was part of the Stephen Harper-led government that instituted a public transit fund. Scheer he is a strong supporter of public transit.

On housing, the pair spoke about the need to keep up with demand for affordable units, Tory said.

“We had a good discussion about some policies that go all the way back to previous governments, that involved the nonprofit sector, the ingenuity of the private sector and the need for … a partnership between private and public sectors to get supply of housing addressed,” he said.

“We talked about even getting faith communities, nonprofits involved, which used to be something back in the ’60s and ’70s, a very successful way of providing affordable housing.”