Ontario is ‘open for business’

Ontario is “open for business” and soon there will be massive sign on the Canada-U.S. border to tout that.

Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Jim Wilson confirmed Wednesday that Premier Doug Ford’s election promise of signage near the New York frontier will be kept.

“You don’t think he’s going to allow me to make that announcement today, do you?” quipped Wilson, as he announced province-wide consultations on reducing red tape to boost business in Ontario.

“It’s coming soon,” he said, emphasizing the sign would not be manufactured by Deco Labels and Tags, the family company founded by the premier’s father.

During the June 7 election campaign, Ford vowed that if he defeated Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals he would make a big show of the province’s intentions to lure businesses across the border.

“We’re going to put up a big sign on the border that says ‘Ontario is open for business.’”

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser pointed out the province’s borders have always been open for business and that his party left the economy in good shape after almost 15 years in power.

“The Conservatives have inherited one of the strongest economies in the world,” said Fraser, adding that Ontario’s economic growth has outpaced all G7 countries and other provinces and it currently enjoys its lowest unemployment rate in a generation.