NDP dental plan to cost $1.2 billion: Horwath

TORONTO — An NDP government in Ontario would spend $1.2 billion to provide dental coverage to an additional 4.5 million people, with the money coming from higher taxes for the wealthy and corporations, party leader Andrea Horwath said Monday.

If the party wins the provincial election in June, it will run a deficit to spend significantly on health care, Horwath said.

The NDP plan — called Ontario Benefits — would provide coverage for students, seniors and people working jobs without dental benefits, she said.

“No matter how you work, from fulltime and part-time employees, to independent workers on contract or freelance, you will have health benefits,” Horwath said. “You will be able to get the dental care that you need.”

The NDP dental plan, first announced Saturday, would extend publicly-funded dental care to all seniors without retiree benefits at a cost of $670 million in its first year. The second stage of the plan would provide dental benefits to all workers, which the party estimates would cost $575 million a year. The plan would be fully implemented by 2020. The plan would cover a number of dental procedures including basic exams, cleanings, x-rays, preventative and minor restorative work.

The plan for workers would be funded with mix of employer and employee contributions similar to the employment insurance. People earning under $30,000 would have their contributions refunded, while workers making over $60,000 would contribute a maximum of $4.33 a week.

Horwath said an NDP government would also raise the money to pay for the plan by increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

“Our platform will be fully-costed and it will have a responsible fiscal plan attached to it,” she said. “But that does include protecting lower income and middle class families from cost pressures . ... But the wealthiest among us and the most profitable corporations will be asked to pay their fair share.”