Eisenberger commends Liberal budget

Hamilton’s mayor says the provincial budget addresses many concerns of local residents, especially when it comes to child care, mental health services and the reduction of wait times in hospitals.

Fred Eisenberger lauded additional announcements on pharmacare, home care and a program to help seniors stay at home in the 2018-19 budget, which the province tabled Wednesday.

Overall, the Ontario Liberal government’s budget included a spending package for nearly every demographic while plunging the province back into deficit.

In a statement Thursday, Eisenberger pointed to specific investments:

• $10 million to create a Centre of Excellence in Health Care Artificial Intelligence, a partnership between St. Joseph’s Health System, Niagara Health System, McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences and the Vector Institute;

• $3 million toward the construction of a new Ancaster Arts Centre that will transform the surplus Ancaster Memorial School property into a sustainable community arts hub;

• $28 million over three years to create a provincial Digital Public Library providing access to digital content, research databases, special collections and accessible and alternative format materials.

He also noted the budget “underlines its strong commitment” to Hamilton’s proposed $1-billion LRT project as well as weekday GO train service between the future Confederation station in Stoney Creek, which is currently under construction, and the Niagara Region.