Local MPP's are worried about the affect the province's 2015 budget will have on smaller communities.
Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson says after meeting with a local group, the budget does nothing to address concerns.
"Last week, I met with the Huron County Economic Board and I heard their concerns on (sustaining) jobs in the county. This budget shows no incentive for business or entrepreneurs whatsoever. We have the highest energy rates in North America, they are adding a carbon tax to businesses, and a payroll tax to employers (ORPP). They are chasing jobs out of this province," says Thompson. "The Liberals are taking money from healthcare to pay for the interest on the debt. This leaves them in a position where they can't afford to do things such as necessary updates to Kincardine hospital, or keep Chesley Restorative Care Program running, it's absolutely shameful."
MPP Randy Pettapiece says the budget also increases costs for Ontarians.
“Kathleen Wynne promised not to impose a carbon tax, but this budget does that... Her cap-and-trade scheme will be a tax on everything, from gas to groceries,” says Pettapiece. “The budget supports the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP), a massive new payroll tax that will kill jobs, especially in small communities like ours.”
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker says he is concerned about the government’s plan to sell significant public assets without addressing its spending addiction.
“It saddens me that they want to distract the public by talking about beer and yet the amount of taxpayer money required to finance just the interest on our debt increased by 5.7% while the healthcare budget increased by only 1.9%,” says Walker.
Here are some of the initiatives listed in the provincial budget released Thursday:
- Ontario’s deficit will be reduced from $10.9-billion to $8.5-billion in 2015-16, falling to $4.8-billion in 2016-17 and return to balance by 2017-18.
- The $131.9-billion budget includes $120.5-billion in program spending plus $11.4-billion in interest on the province’s debt, which is projected to hit $298.9-billion next year.
- An additional $200-million for a ten-year jobs fund announced last year, with a total of $2.7-billion for the program that provides corporate grants in return for jobs.
- Insurance companies will be required to give drivers a discount for using winter tires on their vehicles.
- $9-billion expected to be raised from the sale of 60 per cent of Hydro One, the giant electricity transmission utility, $4-billion of which will be devoted to public transit. $100-million a year will be raised with a new tax on all beer sold in Ontario as part of modernization plan that will allow some grocery stores to sell six-packs of beer.
- $50.8-billion for health care, the single largest government expenditure, which is projected to grow an average of 1.9 per cent a year over three years.
- $25.2-billion for education, which will grow by two per cent a year, while funding for post-secondary education and training will hold steady at $7.8-billion.
- All other areas will face average decreases of 5.5 per cent a year until the deficit is eliminated, but they represent only 16 per cent of government’s total program spending.