A former federal transportation minister will soon help the Ontario government address transit needs in several major cities.

David Collenette has been named as a special advisor as the province works to bring high-speed rail to parts of southern Ontario.

The transit projects will be focused in the Windsor, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Toronto corridor.

Collenette, who served as a Liberal MP for nearly 20 years, was transport minister for Prime Minister Jean Chretien from 1997 to 2003.