With years of growing surpluses ahead,
it’s time to start spending on what we need

June 13, 2023

GUELPH — Ontario Greens leader and Guelph MPP, Mike Schreiner, released the following statement after the Financial Accountability Office (FAO) released its latest Economic and Budget Outlook report.

“The latest fiscal projections from the FAO send a clear message to the Ford government: it’s time to loosen the budget stranglehold and invest in the people of Ontario.

With budget surpluses projected to continue growing over the next five years, the government must abandon its austerity mindset and start spending on the programs and services that will make life better for Ontarians.

As a priority, the government should immediately double ODSP rates so that people with disabilities are not forced to live in legislated poverty.

They must stop defending unfair wage-limiting legislation like Bill 124 and ensure that our dedicated nurses, healthcare workers and other public servants have decent wages and working conditions.

They must make major investments in our public healthcare system and drop the pretence that privatization is the only route to improvement.

And with the climate emergency directly affecting people’s health, we need investments now to make our communities climate ready.

The FAO report proves that we don’t need to live with crowded school classrooms and closed hospital emergency departments while our most vulnerable citizens struggle to put food on the table.

Ontario is in robust financial health and it’s time the Ford government started acting like it.”

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