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For Immediate Release
May 20, 2014
(Guelph): Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario and candidate in Guelph, challenged the next government to lower payroll taxes on small business.
“Small business is the only sector that created jobs during the 2008 recession,” says Schreiner. “We want to empower small businesses to create even more jobs by reducing payroll taxes on the jobs they create.”
There are nearly 400,000 small businesses in Ontario. Small and medium-sized enterprises do more to create jobs, support sustainable local economies, and bring new ideas to market than any other kind. Yet, the Liberals and Conservatives are focused on tax cuts for Bay Street corporations.
“Ontario would not have a job crisis if tax cuts for Bay Street corporations were the answer,” says Schreiner. “The Green Party will stand up for local entrepreneurs to create good local jobs.”
The Green Party is calling on the government to double the Employer Health Tax exemption. Businesses with payroll of less than $5 million would not be charged the EHT on the first $900,000 of their payroll. The policy would help small businesses save approximately $20,000 per year and inject $800 million into our local economies.
“The business I know best is restaurants,” says Clarke Bitter, chef and Green Party candidate in Niagara Falls. “It’s low margin and labour intensive. This policy will help the independent local eatery reduce the cost of new hires, create more jobs and help keep them in business.”
“I know from talking with business owners here in Guelph that a few thousand dollars can make the difference between success and failure,” says Schreiner. “As a small business founder myself, I know how much it means to create jobs and support employees.”
The Green Party has many candidates who are also entrepreneurs. For example, Heather Dahlstrom (Nickel Belt) is an award-winning independent filmmaker. Kevin Shaw (Sarnia–Lambton) runs a part-time website business for high school athletic associations. Temara Brown (Cambridge) owns a successful photography business. And leader Mike Schreiner founded WOW Foods, an award winning local organic food distribution company, and Earthdance Organics, in Guelph.
The Green Party of Ontario is on a mission to bring honesty, integrity, and good public policy back to Queen’s Park.
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Media contact: Candice Lepage
519.362.9472
candicelepage@gpo.ca