The MPP for Huron-Bruce is hearing many of the same concerns from business owners across the riding.
MPP Lisa Thompson and Progressive Conservative Finance Critic Vic Fedeli held roundtable discussions with business owners in Clinton and Port Elgin, and Thompson says they heard a lot of the same issues. She says skyrocketing hydro bills remains the top concern by a wide margin, but other issues also came to the forefront.
Thompson says bringing natural gas to rural communities is badly needed, and they also need to improve the access to affordable broadband Internet.
Thompson says she will be pushing the Liberal government for immediate action on the biggest issues, pointing out they can't wait until the next provincial election in 2018.
"We need to move now, we can't wait for change to happen, we've got to make it happen," says Thompson. "Writing our ministers, following up on them in terms of their deliverables, and making sure that everybody in the House hears about it, and it all starts with talking about it."
Fedeli says over-regulation continues to hinder entrepreneurs from being able to expand their businesses, describing the amount of red tape as "toxic" to small businesses.
Fedeli says they will be pushing for long-term, sustainable solutions to issues like hydro rates, not band-aid fixes.