News
2019 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect What Matters Most
Building a sustainable future, while protecting critical frontline services
Simcoe North– Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North, is pleased the first budget of Ontario’s Government for the People delivered April 11 by Finance Minister Vic Fedeli protects what matters most, and contains absolutely no new tax increases, while providing $26 billion over six years in relief for individuals, families, and businesses.
“Budget 2019 focuses on protecting what matters most – our world-class health care and education systems. We need to make sure our communities are protected for generations to come,” said MPP Dunlop. “This is also a plan that puts people first, while making Ontario open for business and open for jobs.”
The 2019 Ontario Budget is a comprehensive and sustainable plan that balances the budget in five years, stimulates job creation, and protects critical public services that people rely on every day. With this plan, the Province is ensuring value for money and targeting spending to frontline services, while eliminating the deficit.
The signature initiative of the budget is the proposed Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) tax credit. The CARE tax credit would be one of the most flexible child care initiatives ever introduced in Ontario, putting parents at the centre of the decision-making process. CARE would help low- and middle-income families with up to 75% of their eligible child care costs per year, including those for daycares, home-based care, and camps.
Another key item in the budget is dental care for low-income seniors. At least two-thirds of low-income seniors do not have access to dental care – and many end up in our emergency rooms as a result. The government is investing $90 million starting at the end of summer 2019 to establish this new program to help Ontario’s low-income seniors.
To help get Ontario moving, the government is also making the single largest capital investment in subway builds and extensions in Ontario’s history. It is committing $11.2 billion to support four rapid transit projects in the Greater Toronto Area, including the Yonge North Subway Extension, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, and a new subway, the Ontario Line.
Other key initiatives in Budget 2019 include a new Ontario Job Creation Investment Incentive to help businesses grow and create jobs, a “Digital First” strategy to modernize Service Ontario’s top 10 transactions and other government services, and a new auto insurance plan that puts drivers first.
“The 2019 Ontario Budget is showing the world that our government is serious about fiscal sustainability, protecting frontline services, and making Ontario the best place to invest and create jobs,” said Fedeli.
“The Budget marks a new beginning for the Province that respects tax dollars, makes life more affordable, and ensures the government works for the people, and not the other way around. This is the approach of Premier Doug Ford and his Government for the People.”
Visit Ontario.ca/Budget to learn more about the 2019 Ontario Budget.
April 11, 2019Ontario Introduces Transparency Measures to Reveal True Cost of Carbon Tax on Home Heating and Gas
Province Intends to Require Gasoline Pumps, Natural Gas Bills to Reflect Increased Cost of Federal Carbon Tax
April 9th, 2019
Simcoe North— Ontario's government is standing up for the people by introducing a series of transparency measures that will prevent the federal government from hiding the true cost of its job-killing carbon tax.
“The people of Ontario deserve to know the full truth about how the federal carbon tax will make their lives more unaffordable,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. “This job-killing tax will make everything more expensive, but it will hit our wallets hardest when it comes to gas prices and home-heating costs.”
The province plans to bring forward legislation that, if passed, would require stickers to be placed on gasoline pumps that will warn Ontario families of the hidden federal carbon tax that will add more than 11 cents per litre to the price of gasoline by 2022. In addition, the government has communicated to the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) its expectation that the OEB ensure the federal carbon tax is clearly reflected on natural gas bills.
“We promised to use every tool at our disposal to protect Ontario workers, seniors and families from the federal government’s regressive carbon tax,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “The people of Ontario know that a carbon tax is not the only way to fight climate change and that this tax is as unnecessary as it is unfair.”
Ontario currently leads all of Canada when it comes to greenhouse gas reduction. Ontario families and businesses have already reduced emissions by 22% from 2005 levels. The Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan clearly details how the province will achieve an additional 8% reductions in emissions to hit its 30% emissions reduction target.
“Instead of punishing low- and middle-income families, we encourage the federal government to follow the approach we took with our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan,” said MPP Jill Dunlop. “Our plan will reduce emissions without imposing a job-killing carbon tax on the people of our province.”
Quick Facts
- The federal carbon tax will cost a typical household $648 by 2022.
- The federal carbon tax on fuels came into effect on April 1, 2019. It will increase the price of gasoline in Ontario by 4.4 cents per litre. This will rise to 6.6 cents in 2020, 8.8 cents in 2021, and 11.1 cents per litre in April 2022. The carbon tax will cost the average Ontario driver $57 at the pumps in 2019.
- The federal carbon tax will increase the price of natural gas in Ontario by 3.9 cents per cubic metre. This increase will rise to 5.9 cents in 2020, 7.8 cents in 2021, and 9.8 cents per cubic metre in April 2022. It will increase the price of natural gas used by families to heat their homes by $94 in 2019, rising to $235 in 2022. Three out of four Ontario families rely on natural gas for heating.
- The federal carbon tax will increase the price of diesel by 5.4 cents per litre in 2019, rising to 13.4 cents by 2022.
- Estimates of the impacts of the federal carbon tax on Ontario’s public and private sectors include:
- Ontario’s 146 hospitals will experience increases to annual heating costs by $10.9 million in 2019, soaring to $27.2 million in 2022.
- The province’s colleges and universities will see an increase in their upfront annual heating costs by approximately $9.8 million in 2019, soaring to $24.7 million in 2022.
- Annual heating costs for the over 750 nursing and seniors’ care homes will increase by $6.7 million in 2019, rising to $16.7 million in 2022, with an average cost increase of $9,000 per senior centre by 2019, and $22,000 by 2022.
- Over $350 million will be added to the cost of heavy duty transportation in Ontario in 2019, and by 2022, that figure could be as high as $870 million.
- Ontario removed the costs associated with the provincial cap-and-trade carbon tax from gasoline and natural gas bills saving households approximately $80 per year on heating costs and over 4 cents per litre at the pump.
- Ontario is part of a coalition of provinces pledged to fight the federal government's unconstitutional carbon tax. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have joined Ontario's challenge to the federal government's Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, which is an unconstitutional, disguised tax. Ontario’s case challenging the constitutionality of the federal carbon tax will be heard by the Court of Appeal from April 15 to 18, 2019.
- As outlined in Ontario’s environment plan, the province is committed to meeting its share of Canada’s 2030 target while recognizing the unique circumstances of our economy. From 2005 to 2016, Ontario reduced its emissions by about 22 per cent.
- The Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan commits to reducing our province’s emissions output to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 without imposing a carbon tax.
- In a survey of business owners in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that 87 per cent opposed this federal carbon tax plan.
Additional Resources
Ontario Stands Up For Patients by Opposing Costly Federal Carbon Tax on Hospitals
NEWS
April 3rd, 2019
Simcoe North — Ontario's government is working for the people by fighting against increased costs to public institutions caused by the burdensome federal carbon tax.
Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, were at Halton Healthcare - Milton District Hospital today to talk about how the federal government’s carbon tax will impact local hospitals by increasing heating costs. Costs to Ontario’s community hospitals will increase to $27,200,000.00 by 2022.
“The carbon tax will have a direct impact on patients here in Orillia, Midland, and Penetanguishene, making life more unaffordable,” said Jill Dunlop, Member of Provincial Parliament for Simcoe North. “Hospitals in Ontario are under enormous pressure. Diverting resources to cover rising heating costs instead of on reducing wait times and ending hallway health care is not the right solution for Ontarians."
For $27.2 million, Ontario could offer an additional 104,615 MRI operating hours providing scans for an additional 157,000 patients. This amount of money could also fund over 3,300 pacemaker implantations. “Hospitals should be able to focus their resources on providing the quality, patient-centred care that Ontarians expect and deserve, and not have to deal with unnecessary rising operational costs, said Elliott. “Our government is committed to ensuring money is being directed to front-line services – where it belongs – to improve patient experience, and provide better and connected care.”
The Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan considers our province’s specific priorities, challenges and opportunities, and commits to reducing our emissions to 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, a target that aligns with the Federal Government’s Paris commitments, without imposing a carbon tax on the vulnerable groups in our province. Through the efforts of individuals and industry, Ontario is already most of the way to this target, with the province’s emissions down 22 per cent since 2005.
“Our plan serves as proof that you can both oppose a carbon tax and continue to do more to fight climate change - you don’t have to choose,” concluded Minister Phillips. “A carbon tax isn’t the only way to fight climate change. Ontario deserves both a healthy environment and a healthy economy.”
The government remains committed to fighting the federal government’s plan to impose a carbon tax on the people of Ontario.
Quick Facts
- The Financial Accountability Office has projected that the federal carbon tax will cost the average Ontario household $648 a year by 2022.
- The federal carbon tax on fuels came into effect on April 1, 2019. It will increase the price of gasoline in Ontario by 4.4 cents per litre. This will rise to 6.6 cents in 2020, 8.8 cents in 2021, and 11.1 cents per litre in April 2022.
- The federal carbon tax will increase the price of natural gas in Ontario by 3.9 cents per cubic metre. This increase will rise to 5.9 cents in 2020, 7.8 cents in 2021, and 9.8 cents per cubic metre in April 2022.
- The federal carbon tax will increase the price of diesel by 5.4 cents per litre in 2019, rising to 13.4 cents by 2022.
MPP Jill Dunlop Fighting to Make Life More Affordable for Drivers
MPP Jill Dunlop Fighting to Make Life More Affordable for Drivers
Ontario announces the end of outdated Drive Clean Program and vows to continue to stand against the federal carbon tax.
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NEWS |
April 1, 2019 |
Simcoe North, ON — The Ontario government is putting people first and making life more convenient and affordable for drivers by ending Ontario’s ineffective Drive Clean program, while continuing the fight against the newly imposed federal carbon tax.
“Our government promised to make life more affordable for the people of Ontario,” said MPP Jill Dunlop, Member of Provincial Parliament for Simcoe North.The end of the outdated Drive Clean program will save people of Simcoe North time, while saving the taxpayers of Ontario more than $40 Million a year.“
According to the Auditor General, on-road emissions have declined so steeply they are no longer the biggest contributor to smog. 75% of these reductions have come through stricter manufacturing standards, requirements for cleaner fuels and the natural retirement of older vehicles -- not as a result of Drive Clean.
While the Ontario government cuts red tape and reduces the burden on taxpayers, the federal government’s carbon tax takes effect today. The carbon tax will cost the average Ontario driver $57 at the pumps in 2019, at 4.4 cents per litre. By 2022, drivers could be paying up to $180 more a year because of this job-killing tax.
“We’re focused on keeping money in people’s pockets, not taking it away,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Unfortunately, the federal carbon tax is going to make the cost of filling up your tank more expensive. I promise the people of Ontario that our government will continue to fight this tax with every tool at our disposal.”
As part of its Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, the province has committed to protecting Ontario air from smog-causing pollutants by strengthening on-road enforcement of emissions standards and by launching a new emissions testing program for heavy-duty diesel vehicles, such as commercial transport trucks, in fall 2019. This new program will result in more major polluters being tested.
“We know that the carbon tax will raise costs to every person in Ontario that drives a car,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of the Environment Conservation and Parks. Our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan serves as proof that we can fight climate change without a carbon tax.“
QUICK FACTS
- Beginning on April 1, 2019, the federal government will apply a fuel charge to fossil fuels in Ontario, resulting in an estimated increase of 4.4 cents per litre for gasoline. This will rise to 6.6 cents in 2020, 8.8 cents in 2021 and 11.1 cents per litre in April 2022.
- The federal carbon charge will cost a typical household $258/year in 2019 and will rise to $648 by 2022.
- Ontario’s court challenge will be heard in April.
- The Drive Clean program was first introduced in 1999, since then industry standards have significantly improved resulting in a steady decrease of passenger cars that fail the emissions test. In 2017, the fail rate was reduced to five per cent.
- As outlined in Ontario’s Environment Plan, the province is committed to reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, while recognizing the unique circumstances of our economy. From 2005 to 2016, Ontario reduced its emissions by about 22 per cent.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
April 01, 2019Ontario Investing in Public Transit Improvements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 27TH, 2019
SIMCOE NORTH — Ontario’s Government is working for the people to improve transit. Yesterday, Minister of Infrastructure Monte McNaughton and Minister of Transportation Jeff Yurek announced the opening of $1.62 billion in shared funding for commuter-friendly projects. A total of $17,156,622 has been allocated to the City of Orillia and $1,229,120 to the Town of Midland.
“Our communities count on commuter infrastructure to get people to work and home again to their families,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Infrastructure. ”Our government’s investment will make public transit infrastructure better, safer, and more accessible.”
On April 2, Orillia, Midland, and 84 other eligible municipalities located outside of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) will be able to nominate their most critical public transit projects for consideration under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). This stream will fund construction, expansion and improvement of public transit networks.
The first intake of the Public Transit stream of the 10-year infrastructure program will unlock up to $1.62 billion in joint provincial and federal funding for critical public transit outside the GTHA. In total, ICIP will unlock up to $30 billion in combined federal, provincial, and local investments in Ontario communities as part of a 10-year bilateral agreement.
“Our economy, our communities, and our families all rely on infrastructure,” said MPP Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North. “The Public Transit stream will build and improve urban transit networks and service extensions that will transform the way that the people of Simcoe North live, move and work.”
Municipalities can easily apply for all ICIP funding streams using the Grants Ontario website, a ‘one-window’ source that handles application intake, review, nomination, reporting and transfer payment management processes.
“Our government is listening and has heard the infrastructure needs of our municipalities,” said Minister McNaughton. “We are committed to cutting red tape for local governments, while funding local infrastructure priorities in the province.”
QUICK FACTS
- The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is a $30 billion, 10-year infrastructure program cost-shared between federal, provincial and municipal governments. Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33.33 per cent, or $10.2 billion spread across four streams:
- Rural and Northern
- Public Transit
- Green
- Community, Culture and Recreation.
- Funding is allocated to transit systems based on their share of total transit ridership in Ontario as per the 2015 Canadian Urban Transit Association Fact Book. This allocations-based funding model was set by the federal government.
- The application intake for the first ICIP stream, the Rural and Northern stream, was opened for an eight-week period on March 18. It is open to approximately 500 municipalities and Indigenous communities with populations under 100,000.
- More information on future intakes, including for those municipalities inside the GTHA, will be available soon. Intakes for other streams will launch later this year.
Ontario Continuing to Strengthen the Public Health Care System with More Support for Ontario Seniors in Simcoe North
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 22ND, 2019
SIMCOE NORTH
Ontario Continuing to Strengthen the Public Health Care System with
More Support for Ontario Seniors in Simcoe North
Simcoe North — Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, announced 16 additional long-term care projects that will add 1,157 new beds in facilities across Ontario.
Villa Care Centre, located in Midland, will receive 32 new long-term care beds as part of this announcement and 109 existing long-term care beds will be redeveloped. Westmount Lodge, which will be located in Orillia, will also receive 160 new long-term care beds.
“Our government is building a sustainable, connected and modern health care system, which is putting patients at the centre of care and ensuring that the needs of patients, families and caregivers are driving all our decisions,” said Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North. “These new projects are part of our plan to protect and strengthen our health care system. Ontario’s seniors need to be able to have access to a bed when and where they need it, and their families need to be kept informed every step of the way. With these additional beds and spaces, our government is working to ease pressure on hospitals, and enable nurses, doctors and other care providers to provide better, faster health care for Ontario families and patients.”
The Government of Ontario is delivering on its commitment to strengthen the province’s public health care system by centreing it on the needs of patients, including Ontario’s seniors. The government is committed to building a 21st century health care system that allows seniors to remain at home as long as they can, while ensuring that there is space available for Ontario’s seniors who do need long-term care, when and where they need it.
This is part of the government’s commitment to adding 15,000 long-term care beds in five years, bringing the total number of allocated beds to 7,232.
“We are proud that in just nine months, our government has fulfilled almost half of our commitment toward new long-term care spaces in Ontario over five years,” said Elliott. “As we move forward to modernize our public health care system, the people of Ontario, including seniors, have and always will be our government’s priority. We will create a health care system that works for them and is finally centred on the needs of patients, families and caregivers.”
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Ontario Invests in Small and Rural Municipalities to Improve Service Delivery and Efficiency
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SIMCOE NORTH MARCH 20TH, 2019
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Ontario Invests in Small and Rural Municipalities to Improve Service Delivery and Efficiency
Investments Will Support Communities, Respect Taxpayer Dollars
Simcoe North - Ontario’s government is working for the people to improve local service delivery and efficiency in the province’s municipalities. On March 20, 2019, Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing announced a one-time investment for many of Ontario’s small and rural municipalities.
“I am thrilled to announce that Simcoe North will receive a total of $5,231,066.00 and Simcoe County will receive a total of $725,000,00 to improve service delivery by finding smarter, more efficient ways to spend money that help those who need it most while respecting taxpayer dollars,” said Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North. “This funding puts Ontarians at the heart of municipal decision making and will help to support our rural municipalities in their efforts to modernize and improve the way they provide services to our communities.” Dunlop stated that with this announcement, the government was illustrating, once again, their belief that municipalities are best positioned to understand the unique local circumstances and determine where and how this money is best spent to respect taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.
Ontario’s government was elected to restore transparency and accountability in Ontario’s finances. The province undertook a line-by-line review of its own expenditures, and expects their partners, including municipalities, to be taking steps to become more efficient. Examples could include service delivery reviews, development of shared services agreements, IT solutions, capital investments or other projects. Municipalities will decide how to best target funding to benefit their local communities.
“Taxpayers need their local government to deliver modern, efficient services that show respect for their hard-earned dollars. This funding will help small and rural municipalities improve how they deliver services and reduce the ongoing costs of providing those services,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “I look forward to continuing to work together with our municipal partners to help people and businesses in communities across our province thrive.”
The funding supports Ontario’s commitment to reduce the cost of government.
FUNDING BREAKDOWN FOR SIMCOE NORTH:
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MUNICIPALITY |
$ AMOUNT |
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Simcoe County |
725,000 |
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City of Orillia |
520,308 |
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Town of Midland |
676,935 |
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Town Penetanguishene |
649,148 |
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Township of Tiny |
676,935 |
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Ramara Township |
676,935 |
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Township of Severn |
676,935 |
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Tay Township |
676,935 |
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Township of Oro-Medonte |
676,935 |
QUICK FACTS:
- 405 small and rural municipalities will receive funding.
- To ensure investments are targeted to where they are needed most, funding will be allocated based on the number of households in a municipality and whether the municipality is urban or rural.
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March 20, 2019The Making Ontario Open for Business Act Aims to Transform Ontario’s Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 23RD, 2018
QUEEN’S PARK
The Making Ontario Open for Business Act Aims to Transform Ontario’s Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Program
Ontario government announces legislative that if passed, would remove-job killing burdens
Queen’s Park – Ontario’s Government for the People announced a series of regulatory and legislative changes that, if passed by Ontario’s Legislature, will make it easier for Ontario employers to hire and workers to find jobs and grow their careers in Ontario.
As part of the reform, Laurie Scott, Minister of Labour, Jim Wilson, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities announced that the Making Ontario Open for Business Act would address the skilled trades backlog and the outdated apprenticeship system. The legislation, if passed, would set all journeyperson to apprentice ratios at one-to-one, implement a moratorium on trade classifications and reclassifications, and wind down the Ontario College of Trades.
“I have been hearing from constituents across my riding of Simcoe North as well as from stakeholders from across Ontario that the apprenticeship system has been creating barriers and making it very challenging for Ontario to keep up in training skilled tradespeople. We need to meet our economy’s skilled trades demand and presently, we are not,” said MPP Jill Dunlop. Ontario’s ratios are among the highest in Canada and are limiting the number of apprentices an employer can train. The new legislation, if passed, would simplify the process for employers and skilled trades professionals. Dunlop also stated that the one-to-one ratio component of this legislation would allow small businesses in Simcoe North, as well as across Ontario, to accept more apprentices which would address the skilled trades gap and help build a thriving economy.
The government also addressed persistent challenges in how the skilled trades in Ontario are regulated, the amount of College membership fees that apprentices and journeypersons are subject to, and the complexity of the rules apprentices, journeypersons, and employers are bound by. As part of the government’s commitment to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens, the government is proposing to wind down the Ontario College of Trades.
Dunlop stated that the Ontario College of Trades has been a continous topic of discussion with both her constituents and businesses in her riding. “Whenever I would talk about skilled trades and the importance of supporting and promoting the skilled trades sector, I would always get feedback and responses about how the Ontario College of Trades ‘had to go.’ People would write to me about heavy-handed enforcement decisions, high membership fees, and complex rules that were hindering them either as skilled trades professionals or as a business as a whole.”
Discussions on the skilled trades industry and how to champion the sector has been of particular importance to Dunlop. “I have seen firsthand the important work our skilled trades professionals do. Growing up in a family of skilled trades labourers, I was always taught the value and significance of their work. Simcoe North is made up of hardworking skilled trades professionals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses and I know how vital they are to our local economy.” Ms. Dunlop said she will always support investing in Ontario’s economy, creating good jobs, and reducing the stigma and barriers that skilled trades workers face.
In their announcement, the government maintained that they will continue to systematically review Ontario’s stock of regulations, then streamline, modernize, and in some cases, eliminate unnecessarily complicated, outdated or duplicative regulations.
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March 14, 2019Government Invites Feedback on Regional Government Review in Simcoe North
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 14TH, 2019
SIMCOE NORTH
Government Invites Feedback on Regional Government Review in Simcoe North
Ontario Launches Online Consultation for Residents, Businesses and Stakeholders
Simcoe North — The Ontario government is putting people first by seeking local input on how to improve governance, decision-making and service delivery for regional governments and member municipalities.
“After almost 50 years, it’s time to consider whether changes are needed in communities where populations have grown, and hard-earned taxpayers’ dollars are being stretched,” said MPP Jill Dunlop. “I would encourage all municipalities, stakeholders, and residents of Simcoe County to share their feedback on how we can identify ways to address significant growth issues in the area.”
All people who live or work in Simcoe North invited to share their thoughts through the online consultation. The deadline to submit comments is April 23, 2019.
“We promised the people of Ontario that all levels of government would work harder, smarter and more efficiently,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our government is putting people first by seeking local input on how to improve governance, decision-making and service delivery for regional governments and their member municipalities.”
In addition to meeting with municipalities and stakeholder groups, Special Advisors Michael Fenn and Ken Seiling will assess the feedback received through the online consultation. They will provide their advice and recommendations to Minister Clark this summer.
“I look forward to receiving the recommendations and hearing what is working in the regions and Simcoe County, and what can be improved,” said Minister Clark.
The government is committed to working with municipalities to help ensure that they have effective local governance and decision-making, and are providing services quickly and efficiently.
Quick facts:
- Ontario’s system of regional government has been in place for almost 50 years.
- Ontario’s regional municipalities and Simcoe County’s combined populations have grown by more than 3 million people since the 1970s.
March 14, 2019
Ontario Launches $30 Billion Infrastructure Funding Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 13TH, 2019
SIMCOE NORTH
Ontario Launches $30 Billion Infrastructure Funding Program
Investments in critical projects will create jobs, help families and businesses, says MPP Dunlop
Simcoe North — The Ontario government is working to make the province’s roads safer, commutes easier and communities healthier. MPP Jill Dunlop announced new infrastructure funding that will help create and protect good jobs across the province, including in the community of Simcoe North.
“This is great news for communities in our riding,” said Jill Dunlop, MPP for Simcoe North. “The launch of today’s programs marks an important milestone for investing in the critical projects that will create jobs for our riding. This will help families and businesses in rural Ontario by making our roads safer, commutes easier and communities healthier.” Dunlop stated that the government was listening to the people of Ontario when it comes to the infrastructure needs of municipalities. “With this announcement, we’re telling communities to get started on the crucial process of project nomination.”
The first stream of the funding, the Rural and Northern stream, is open to cities and Indigenous communities with populations under 100,000. Those communities, about 500 of them, will have eight weeks beginning March 18 to nominate road and bridge projects.
“When it comes to delivering core services that matter to people, our government is putting people first,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Infrastructure. “Today’s historic infrastructure investment marks the start of billions of dollars in funding that will improve the wellbeing of the people of Ontario. And it is part of our plan to balance the budget in a responsible, sustainable way while creating and protecting good jobs.”
The funding falls under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which will unlock up to $30 billion in combined federal, provincial, and local investments in communities across the province over the next 10 years.
QUICK FACTS
- The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program is a $30 billion, 10-year infrastructure program cost-shared between federal, provincial and municipal governments. Ontario’s share per project will be up to 33 per cent, or $10.2 billion spread across four streams:
- Rural and Northern
- Public Transit
- Green
- Community, Culture and Recreation
- The first intake for the Rural and Northern stream will be open for eight weeks, and will focus on road, bridge, air or marine infrastructure in rural and northern communities with populations under 100,000 people.
- The Grants Ontario website (click on Grant Opportunities) will be a “one-window” source for applicants, handling application intake, review, nomination, reporting and transfer payment management processes – all in one place.
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March 13, 2019
