Electrical hookups coming to more provincial park campsites

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP’s work as Ontario Parks special adviser leads to $26 million in upgrades to parks announced in new Ontario budget

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith says he can take a lot of credit for the Ontario government’s new plan to do $26 million in upgrades at provincial parks.

The upgrades are included in the Ontario government’s new $187-billion budget, unveiled earlier this week.

“Most of the $26 million that’s being invested in Ontario Parks is as a result of Ontario Parks report and the research I did,” Smith said in a virtual news conference on Friday.

“The $6 million to electrify more sites is absolutely a direct result of that research I did and the recommendations I made.”

In early 2019, Smith was appointed special adviser to Ontario Parks.

Smith stated at the time he would do research that would inform a government plan to boost visitation to Ontario Parks by 10 per cent — about one million more visitors — while still protecting nature.

When asked on Friday how he felt about the soaring deficit — which has reached an all-time high of $38.5 billion — Smith said the government must spend on helping firms retool in the pandemic, for instance.

“One of the things you can do to help individuals is to make sure there are jobs still there for them,” Smith said, adding that it ultimately keeps future shortfalls from increasing.

Also in the 2020 budget:

$7.5 billion in new funding for COVID-19-related health-care expenses, which includes an additional $572 million for hospitals.

$1.75 billion to build more long-term-care beds with a hope of eventually increasing capacity by 30,000.

Opposition critics said the budget lacks long-term help for hospitals, for long-term-care homes and for businesses struggling in the pandemic, offering one-off funding instead.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath told the Toronto Star the budget actually contains nearly $100 million less in planned spending for long-term care than what was laid out in a financial update the province released in March and noted there is no money to ensure smaller classes in schools.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca called the budget a “betrayal,” The Star reported.

“Doug Ford’s government is risking the lives of our seniors, our kids, their parents and all people of colour,” he said.

But on Friday, Smith said he pays no attention to feedback from opposition leaders because they criticize the government no matter what.

“I’m not sure we would have made them happy,” Smith said. “We probably could have had a $600-billion or $700-billion deficit, and they would have complained we weren’t spending enough money.”

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca called the budget a “betrayal,” The Star reported