Northern Ontario is a top priority in this year’s provincial budget.
As part of our Open Ontario plan, the 2010 Budget provides $1.2 billion in new funding that will create jobs and economic growth throughout the north. In recognition of the unique circumstances northerners are facing, our government is investing in infrastructure, supporting local businesses and providing relief on energy prices for northern families.
Our government’s plan proposes the following initiatives to enhance job creation and economic growth in the North:
- A Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program worth $150 million annually for qualifying large industrial facilities. As a result, qualifying facilities would be able to reduce their electricity prices by an average of 25 per cent --and that could make a big difference for companies like AbitibiBowater.
- Support for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation will increase by $10 million, so the Fund will have $90 million annually to create new jobs and support economic development in the north.
- The Budget includes the creation of a three-year $45 million project-based skills training program to help northern Ontarians and Aboriginal Peoples benefit from emerging economic development opportunities.
- The government is also making significant infrastructure investments of $1.2 billion to strengthen northern communities by improving highways, hospitals, water and wastewater systems, and other infrastructure, supporting 10,000 jobs in 2010-11
Our government is also introducing a new, permanent Northern Ontario Energy Credit of up to $130 for single people and up to $200 for families annually. This credit, worth $35 million, will help low- and middle-income northern Ontario residents with their energy costs.
This energy credit is in addition to a series of permanent tax relief measures that come into effect this year.
The Budget also includes important investments to safeguard Ontario’s health care, education, child care and training programs. Health care funding is increasing by $2.6 billion and funding for education will grow by $700 million.
These investments build on the progress our government has made in these areas. Since 2003, total funding for education has increased by 50 per cent and total funding for health care has increased by 57 per cent Our government will be investing $310 million to add 20,000 new spaces to colleges and universities this September.
Funding for childcare will increase by $63 million to maintain the 8500 child care spaces and protect 100 jobs—which the federal government endangered when they cut their funding. Our government will also be creating 30,000 new second career training spaces, bringing the total number of spaces to 60,000.
I’ve received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from a wide range of constituents who support the province’s plan to reduce energy costs, support industry, create jobs in the North, and help families by continuing to make record investments in education and health care.
Confronted by the harsh impact of the global economic recession, our government had to confront tough choices—and we still made important, new large-scale investments in the north.
The NDP provincial members oppose this budget, a budget that offers incredible new opportunities for northern Ontario. The NDP’s opposition to these measures is not helpful to anyone in the north.
This budget is clearly going to improve the competitiveness of many businesses and the lives of families in northern Ontario—I hope it will have the support of all northern Members.
