Niagara Families To Benefit from 2012 Ontario Budget – Bradley

(Niagara At Large is continuing to post media releases it receives from Ontario’s party leaders and from Niagara area MPPs on provincial Liberal government’s March 27 budget. The following release is from the office of St. Catharines Liberal MPP and Ontario Environment Minister Jim Bradley.)

Strong Action For Ontario – Liberals Balance Budget, Protect Health Care and Education          

St. Catharines– The McGuinty government is taking strong action inthe 2012 Ontario Budget to tackle the provincial deficit while protecting seniors, health care and education in Niagara, St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley announced today.

St. Catharines, Ontario Liberal MPP Jim Bradley

“Building a stronger Niagara and stronger Ontario is about making the right choices to protect what we’ve built together over the last eight years,” Bradley said. “But these are tough economic times that require difficult, but careful decisions. Rather than thoughtless across-the-board cuts, we are making appropriate choices to ensure that Ontario families are receiving the best possible services and the best value for tax dollars.”

Our government listened to Ontario families and developed a budget that reflects their priorities. We will protect and strengthen these priorities by:

       Increasing investment in doctor house calls, and access to home care and community services for Niagara seniors by investing $526 million per year by 2014-15.

       Ensuring our children receive the best education at the earliest stage. Full-day kindergarten will be implemented throughout Niagara by 2014.

       Continuing to provide the 30% Off Ontario Tuition grant for students at Brock University, Niagara College and post-secondary institutions across the province. More than 300,000 students provincewide are eligible for the tuition savings.

The 2012 Budget lays out a five-year plan to balance the budget by 2017-2018. This involves getting out of some non-essential sectors such as government real estate, while reforming essential services like health care. Some other actions include:

       Stopping scheduled corporate tax reductions

       Addressing labour costs, with zero pay increases for MPPs, Executives, Doctors and Teachers

       Consulting on a legislation to make public service pensions more affordable for taxpayers and sustainable for plan members.

The deficit for 2011–12 is projected to be $15.3 billion — $1 billion lower than forecast a year ago and an improvement of over 38 per cent from the 2009–10 deficit forecast in the fall of 2009. 

“Our plan will create a stronger economy, a better quality of life and a better future for all Ontario Famililes, Bradley said, “The choices we are making are fair, responsible and ensure that all of us play a role in building a stronger, brighter, more confident future for Ontario.

To learn about the 2012 Ontario budget, visit http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/budget/ontariobudgets/2012/ .

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