By MPP Bobbi Ann Brady
Last week brought Halloween and, courtesy of Ontario’s Minister of Finance, the Fall Economic Statement (FES). Although this mini-budget is predictive of an early spring election call, and this is an ostensibly conservative government, I can’t say it resembled a particularly conservative tactic. It was packed with plenty of spending but did little to address the concerns that you have been conveying to me since June 2022. In short, it’s another missed opportunity for this government. More trick than treat.
I’m a fiscal conservative and for many years was a proud staff member of what I considered the ultimate fiscally-conservative party, The PC Party of Ontario. They’ve been in power for six years, and since the start of the 2018 campaign they’ve talked about how they’d be the ones to balance the budget. They never do. They continue to kick the can down the road.
The government announced in the FES that it lowered its projected deficit for next year from their previous forecast of a $4.6-billion deficit for 2025-26, to $1.5 billion. Building Ontario for You: 2024 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review upon which the FES was predicated predicts revenues and expenses for that year are balanced, the total projected $1.5-billion deficit being a $1.5-billion reserve. And the government projects a small surplus by 2026-27. And the can rolls down the road…we shall see what the future brings.
But I’ll step back in time for a moment. About seven years ago I was optimistic by then PC Leader Doug Ford’s statement regarding Premier Kathleen Wynne’s budget:
“Today, Kathleen Wynne continued the re-election spending spree with your money. The Liberals think your vote is for sale, and this budget proves it.
Kathleen Wynne is writing a lot of cheques. She is making big promises with your tax dollars. I’ve looked at the finances, and her cheques are going to bounce. You and your families will be stuck with the bill for Wynne’s election promises.
It has already started. Today’s budget includes massive tax increases that will hit 1.8 million hard-working Ontarians and their families, as well as tens of thousands of businesses.”
Ford and company accused the Liberals of thinking your vote is for sale. Hmm. Some might consider the $200 rebate coming in the new year as an election ploy. It’s essentially the government giving us a fraction of our hard-earned money back to buy votes—that’s the sentiment in comments on my social media.
Perhaps, similar to what Ford said at the time to Premier Wynne, the PC Party has lost its way.
I would have been more enamoured with the FES if I heard concrete action on what I’ve been hearing from thousands of constituents since 2022. Critical issues such as skyrocketing rents—up 33 per cent across Ontario; medical access—16,986 in Haldimand-Norfolk currently without a doctor, 2.5 million without a doctor in Ontario; autism waitlists—73,000 children on the waiting list across the province; and, food insecurity—1 in 6 homes in Haldimand-Norfolk are food insecure thus ever-increasing foodbank use. Families tell me they simply want affordability right across the board.
The government has committed to investing in Long-Term Care (LTC) home construction or re-construction–$35 per bed, per day for 25 years. However, I believe this is largely for profit. For the not-for-profit LTC sector, “…eligible applicants will be able to convert up to $15 per bed, per day, of the supplemental funding into a construction grant payable at the start of construction…”
We shall see if this helps get shovels in the ground at Edgewater Gardens in Dunnville.
Over the coming months, I hope the government will better listen to what truly matters to Ontarians and adjust policy accordingly, but past behaviour is a predictor of future behaviour.
Bobbi Ann Brady is the MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk