Liberal budget a ‘last-ditch pitch’: Forster

Billions in funding earmarked by the province’s Liberal government for healthcare, childcare, seniors services and social programs will benefit Niagarans for years to come, says Jim Bradley.

“I think the people will do very well in our area,” said the St. Catharines MPP, after Ontario’s 2018 budget was presented by Finance Minister Charles Sousa Wednesday afternoon.

“It certainly points to health care and social services and growing the economy because there is going to be additional funding to assist our businesses,” Bradley said.

But local MPPs representing opposition parties called it a lastditch effort by a desperate Liberal party to win votes in the June 7 election.

Bradley pointed several funding initiatives within the budget that will benefit’s Niagara’s large seniors population, such as free prescriptions for people 65 and older, annual benefits of up to $750 for eligible households led by seniors 75 and over, as well as investments in long-term care homes.

Families will benefit, too, with free childcare for preschool-aged children, while more than 225,000 people from low- to middle-income families will have free post-secondary tuition.

Although the budget didn’t specifically address Niagara specific investments such as the expansion of GO train services into Niagara, Bradley said he expects to see specific announcements in the weeks to come about how the funding will be rolled out in coming years.

“Our government understands

the needs of our community and is willing to make investments that will help more families get ahead,” Bradley said in a media release.

Niagara West–Glanbrook Conservative MPP Sam Oosterhoff, however, called it a “desperate budget from a desperate government.”

“I think people are seeing through the cynicism of this Liberal government,” Oosterhoff said.

“The reality is, it’s a $6.7-billion deficit, with no real plan for debt repayment or anything else.”

Welland New Democratic Party MPP Cindy Forster called the budget Premier Kathleen Wynne’s “last-ditch pitch for votes.”

“The polls have been exceedingly worse in the last few months. It’s clear that Kathleen believes it’s more important for her to look good than it is for Ontario people to feel good,” Forster said.

“They’ve had 15 whole years to do some of the things that they’re now doing — 75 days before an election.”

Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates said the budget is “truly a disappointment” for working people in Niagara.

“There is nothing in this budget to help middle class families get ahead, nothing to end hallway medicine in Niagara and it surely does not solve our long-term care crisis,” he said.

Niagara is getting a share of $822 million in new funding for hospitals.

Niagara’s hospitals learned last week that they are getting an extra $8.18 million of that funding — an increase of 2.1 per cent increase to Niagara Health’s operating budget, said Niagara Health chief financial officer Angela Zangari.

“It’s still early in the process, and our teams are working to fully understand the impact of the additional funding,” Zangari said in an email.

Although the budget included $19 billion over the next decade for construction and renovation of hospitals, no specific projects were identified.

“Future plans for Welland will involve either redeveloping the existing site or constructing a new facility at the current Third Street location,” Zangari said. “Our vision for a healthier Niagara, and continued work with partners, staff, physicians and our volunteers, will transform healthcare in Niagara.”