No more government cash for companies, Doug Ford says

NIAGARA FALLS, ONT. — The honeymoon is over when it comes to companies getting government cash in Ontario, Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford said Monday on his way to visit a firm that got millions in federal aid.

It’s not fair that some companies enjoy financial assistance from taxpayers while others don’t, Ford added on a campaign swing through wine country in the June 7 election campaign.

“Instead of picking winners and losers we’re going to lower business taxes for everyone, we’re going to stabilize business hydro rates, we’re going to cut red tape and we’re going to bring good jobs back home,” he said on a hotel terrace overlooking the horseshoe falls.

Ford slammed Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government for selling surplus electricity to neighbouring jurisdictions at a loss and said Ontario companies should be able to benefit from that cheap hydro, although he did not explain how rate structures would be altered to accomplish this.

“If we’re going to give incentives to anyone, we’re going to give incentives to the companies here in Ontario ... rather than benefiting our U.S. neighbours, our U.S. companies, that are taking your jobs.”

Parked three storeys below the terrace was a panel van with LED lights advertising one of Ford’s themes, “Ontario open for business,” but with the morning sunlight behind it the day’s signature campaign visual was hard to see and photograph.

Ford has promised to cut corporate income taxes to 10.5 per cent from 11.5 per cent.

The Liberals said in a statement that Ford should tread carefully when it comes to cutting what critics call corporate welfare, maintaining that such government-business “partnerships” have helped create one million jobs since 2003.

Ford was visiting Stanpac, a packaging company in Smithville that got $4.5 million in federal aid toward a $46-million expansion creating 50 jobs.

Conservative officials said Ford scheduled a visit to Stanpac because it has opened a plant in Texas, where hydro rates are lower.

AARON VINCENT ELKAIM/THE CANADIAN PRESS Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford greets supporters at the Mark DeMontis campaign office opening in Toronto on Sunday.