Conservative budget short-changes services and leaves Ontario families behind
QUEEN’S PARK – The Ontario Liberals are slamming the Conservative government for short-changing Ontario families while parking billions in contingency funds. Though the province faces skyrocketing costs of living, unaffordable housing and a healthcare system in crisis, today’s budget offers no relief as more and more Ontarians struggle each and every day to get by.
With today’s budget, the Ford Conservatives have:
- Refused to renew the three paid sick day program that Ontario workers have relied on;
- Introduced no investments toward clearing the massive waitlist to access autism services;
- Clung to Bill 124 which continues to underpay our nurses and frontline healthcare workers;
- Rejected an increase to the Ontario Child Benefit that would provide immediate pocketbook relief to low-income families;
- Allowed rent and utility costs to skyrocket.
“The Ford Conservatives could balance the budget without neglecting the health and wellbeing of everyday Ontarians. Instead of investing in the services Ontarians desperately need, they are quietly underfunding critical services and programs,” said MPP John Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.
“You have to balance the lives of the millions and millions of families that live in Ontario. You have to ask, are children getting proper support in the classroom, especially those with exceptional needs? Are people going to get the timely care they need when they visit an emergency room? Will the two million Ontarians who don’t have a family doctor be able to find one? In this budget, the answer is no.”
Under this budget, simply getting by will get even harder for Ontario families
“This is a status quo budget,” said MPP Stephanie Bowman, Ontario Liberal Finance critic. “This budget is not going to fix the healthcare and mental health crises that Ontarians are facing. It is not fixing the schools that require repair, and it does not help families and individuals who are struggling to put food on the table – all of those shortchange Ontario’s economy.”