MPPs compile budget wish lists
Regardless of political stripe, provincial politicians across Niagara share the same hopes for the communities they represent.
And with the 2017 provincial budget days away, local MPPs have shared similar wish lists for funding allocations that could help improve Niagara communities as well as the lives of the people living here.
They’re looking for funding for such things as health care, transportation, infrastructure, education and initiatives to bolster job creation in the province.
“Anything and everything that will help people across the province will help people in St. Catharines and Niagara as well,” said St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley. “I think all of us are in a very positive sense advocating for that. Each one of us who are members of the legislature, regardless of which political party we represent, should be advocating for those things that will help individuals within our communities.”
As a senior Liberal in the legislature, Bradley might have some insight into what to expect on Thursday when Finance Minister Charles Sousa unveils Ontario’s 2017 budget.
“The challenge that we have is there is secrecy surrounding the budget. There always is. It’s traditional,” he said.
However, Bradley shared a few ideas about what to expect — such as investments in health care, transportation, infrastructure, education and affordable housing.
“I think there will be a great deal of emphasis on various aspects of health care in this budget,” he said.
Niagara West–Glanbrook MPP Sam Oosterhoff hopes the healthcare funding expected in the budget includes funds to finally move forward with the promise to redevelop West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
“The community fundraised $13.6 million to put towards this project before it was abandoned,” he wrote in an open letter to the finance minister. “Your government needs to keep this promise so that the people receive the health services they need.”
Bradley also expects to see initiatives to assist post-secondary students.
“We have to and will find ways to finance free tuition and postsecondary education for people who come from families with an income of $50,000 and under,” he said, referring to the previously announced plan that will start in September.
Even some families with incomes of more than $50,000 a year will see “significant financial assistance for students.”
Meanwhile, municipal transit services will benefit significantly when gas tax revenue is doubled starting in 2019.
“That will be a substantial amount of money. I think for St. Catharines that’s probably over $4 million.”
Bradley said the budget will not add to Ontario’s deficit this year.
“It will be a balanced budget I am told, which affects the entire province,” he said.
Welland MPP Cindy Forster hopes the Liberals won’t balance the budget by selling off public assets.
“I hope that they’re not going to sell off any more of our public hydro system,” the New Democrat said.
“They keep talking about a balanced budget, but they’re balancing it on the backs of selloffs — selloffs of hydro, selloffs of property.”
Selling public assets provides a onetime infusion of cash, but “what happens next year when there’s nothing left to sell off?”
Just balancing the budget isn’t enough for Oosterhoff.
In his letter, the Progressive Conservative also urged Sousa to take action to reduce the province’s debt.
“Interest payments on our province’s debt are taking away funding for services the people in our community depend on,” he wrote, adding it has led to cuts in health-care services.
“The 2017 budget must commit to immediately laying out a long-term plan to pay down the province’s debt.”
Oosterhoff ’s wish list also includes funding for hydro rate reductions, as well as keeping schools open that are slated for closure due to accommodation reviews conducted by school boards across Ontario.
He wrote that people across Niagara are suffering everyday from unaffordable hydro rates, and urged Sousa to “take action immediately to address the root of the problem.”