Provincial NDP make misleading claims on economic record: Orazietti

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

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Provincial NDP make misleading claims on economic record

Ontario NDP have never balanced a single budget

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Provincial NDP are once again making misleading claims about their ability to manage the province’s finances.

Their record while in government and the numerous times they have voted against important economic investments for Northern Ontario since 2003 clearly illustrates that they are not good fiscal managers and that they do not understand the economic needs of northern Ontario.

“The Provincial NDP abandoned their core promises while in government by failing to balance a single budget and led Ontario to the brink of bankruptcy,” said David Orazietti, MPP. “In addition, over the past nine years they have voted against every single economic stimulus plan that delivered funding for important infrastructure projects in Sault Ste. Marie and opposed increases to the NOHFC, which has supported over 4,500 business projects across the North.”

Examples of Sault Ste. Marie infrastructure projects the provincial NDP voted against include:

• $408 million Sault Area Hospital
• $130 million Five New Schools
• $40 million New Long-Term Care Home
• $16.5 million Huron Central Rail
• $15 million Invasive Species Research Centre
• $10.3 million Algoma University Biosciences Centre
• $9.5 million Sault College Academic Building
• $9.3 million  Algoma Public Health Building
• $6.2 million West End Recreation Centre
• $3.5 million Third Line Extension
• $3.1 million Hub Trail and Waterfront Walkway

In addition, the NDP voted against four consecutive increases to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) which increased the program from $60 million to $100 million to create new jobs and support economic development.

The NDP also voted against creating the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program, which has resulted in a combined savings of $41 million over 3 years for Essar Steel Algoma, Tenaris Tubes and Flakeboard.

While in government, the NDP drove the Sault’s unemployment rate to a record high of 19% and cut $60 million from the NOHFC budget.

They also cut medical school spaces, making the doctor shortage worse, cut nursing positions by 3000 and built no new hospitals.

In addition, they cut up-front OSAP grants to college and university students and rejected Algoma University’s application requesting independence.

“Provincial NDP members like Gilles Bisson claim to be listening to northerners, but failed to listen when they were in government,” said Orazietti. “More recently, the disappointing NDP voting record clearly shows a lack of support for initiatives that benefit Sault residents.”
 
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