THUNDER BAY – The Ontario election campaign is under way and the promises being made by party leaders are flying.
On Thursday the parties took aim at everything from classroom sizes to highway tolls in an attempt to sway voters that they've got the vision the province needs to guide it back to prosperity over the next four years and beyond.
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and Premier Doug Ford reiterated a promise to scrap tolls on southern Ontario highways 412 and 418, while at the same time pledging to continue not charging motorists to register their vehicles – a move widely panned when first introduced as an attempt to buy votes with rebate cheques.
Ford doubled down on his pledge to make life more affordable for Ontario drivers.
"The Del Duca-Wynne Liberals imposed unfair road tolls on Highways 412 and 418 in Durham Region and increased licence plate sticker fees by nearly 25 per cent, making life more expensive for drivers and businesses," Ford said, in a release issued by his campaign.
"Andrea Horwarth and the Ontario NDP are out of touch with the real needs of drivers. The Liberals and NDP will bring back tolls and licence plate sticker fees to pay for their unrealistic promises."
Horwath, the official opposition leader before the legislature was dissolved, countered by saying Ford let down motorists by failing to cut the gasoline tax by 10 cents a litre, instead allowing record high gas prices to soar across Ontario, reaching as high as $2.05 a litre in Timmins on Wednesday.
Horwath accused the Conservatives of voting against oil company gouging by not supporting regulated gas prices, a reality in a number of other provinces including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Horwath also promised to push for lower insurance rates, something she said Ford has failed to do over the past four years.
Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca focused his campaign message of the day on Ontario classrooms, promising to cap classes at 20 students and put an end to the Conservatives e-learning requirement. Del Duca said a Liberal government would hire 10,000 more teachers to enable its classroom size plan to be sustainable.
“As a dad of two young girls, I know how hard the pandemic has been on students,” said Del Duca in a release, following a morning media availability. “Two years of disruption and online learning from Doug Ford Conservatives have made students’ lives more stressful and put their learning in jeopardy. Kids deserve a government that’s in their corner.
“Ontario Liberals are offering people a choice. Under the Ford Conservatives, you’ll get crowded classes and cuts to education. With the Ontario Liberal plan, we will end mandatory online learning, hire more teachers to teach smaller classes.”
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, speaking to media in Waterloo, promised if elected his party would build 160,000 affordable homes to address the province's housing crisis.
