TORONTO – Steven Del Duca announced that an Ontario Liberal government will give small businesses a leg up and end Doug Ford’s Big-Box bias and handouts for mega-grocery chains.
“Doug Ford believes that billion-dollar Big-Box stores are more important than workers or mom-and-pop shops. He’s not running for you – he’s just the puppet of his Big-Box Conservative donors,” said Del Duca.
“Doug Ford locked down local small businesses and stayed silent when billionaire grocery conglomerates clawed back hero pay from frontline retail workers. He allowed private pharmacy chains to profit off public health necessities like COVID-19 tests – all while the average small business lockdown debt grew to $190,000,” said Del Duca.
Ontario Liberals will make different choices. We will:
- Raise taxes on corporate profits over $1 billion.
- Force mega-grocery companies to hold fair and open negotiations with farmers, driving down food prices over time.
- Remove the HST on more meals under $20, paid for by increasing taxes on Doug Ford’s mega-grocer friends.
- Eliminate 2-years of corporate taxes for small businesses hit hardest by the pandemic.
- Eliminating incorporation fees for new business start-ups.
- Investing $10 million in grants to support Black entrepreneurs and Black-owned small businesses.
“The biggest fraud of the last election was that Doug Ford was ‘for the people,’” continued Del Duca. “On June 2nd, Ontario Liberals are offering a choice: four more years of Ford Conservatives who don’t care about you and your family, or a new Ontario Liberal government that will put you ahead of the profits of billion-dollar corporations. The choice is yours.”