Leeds Grenville MPP Steve Clark says he knew the Ontario government would try to buy votes with the budget.
Clarks comment came after the Ontario government released the 2018 provincial budget earlier today. Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal Ontario government budget includes investments in health care, child care, home care and mental health.
According to the province they will be introducing a Seniors Healthy Home Program, providing up to $750 annually for seniors 75 and over living in their homes and the Ontario Drug and Dental Plan Program which reimburses those without workplace benefits or OHIP+. The 2018 budget will also give everyone 65 and over free prescription drugs through OHIP+, expanding on the introduction for anyone under 25 years old in the 2017 budget.
Clark says a closer look at the numbers proves Ontarians will pay for the spending. According to him this will include personal income tax increases that will take $275 million out of the pockets of 1.8 million. He also says eliminating the Employer Health Tax exemption will cost 20 thousand job creating businesses $45 million dollars a year. He then points out that taxes will increase by $2 billion over the next three years and that the liberals have no plan to balance the budget until 2024-2025.
Minister of Finance Charles Sousa says Ontario’s economy is getting stronger, businesses are creating record numbers of jobs and unemployment is at the lowest rate in also two decades.
MPP Clark says re-electing this government in June is four more years of paying more and getting less. The complete liberal budget can be found here.
