Huron-Bruce M-P-P Lisa Thompson says there’s a lot in the Provincial budget announced last night for rural Ontario residents to be happy about.

Thompson says during the pandemic the government spent a lot of money on helping residents dealing with pandemic-related challenges because that’s what was needed at that time. But Thompson says “we’re focusing on building Ontario opportunities, both for individuals and businesses so that we are in a positive pattern that’s going to continue to attract more manufacturing and ultimately more opportunities for rural Ontario.”

Thompson says one of the major challenges facing the government is the human resources shortage in health care and she says money alone won’t solve the problem. Thompson says “increasing the number of seats in our medical schools to train more doctors. It’s bringing training closer to home with our Learn and Stay program so that we see individuals learning in the communities that they will be working in.”

Thompson says the three days of sick leave has been dis-continued because that money is needed to support the recovery from the pandemic. Thompson says “but now our focus is where it needs to be and Ontario, like the rest of the world, continues to face economic challenges. So we’re moving forward with a thoughtful, transparent plan where we’re building Ontario and we’re protecting investments and jobs.”

Thompson adds, the Province is doing a number of things to address the challenges facing rural Ontario communities, including the installation of high speed internet and she says they hope to have every home connected by 2025.