Fall Economic Statement supports communities across Dufferin-Caledon

5 Nov 2021

Dufferin-Caledon: MPP Sylvia Jones is pleased the Fall Economic Statement tackles the challenges that Ontario faces with fiscal responsibility. The 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario lays out how the government will build the foundation for Ontario’s recovery and prosperity by getting shovels in the ground on critical infrastructure, attracting increased investment, and restoring leadership in auto manufacturing and other industries. The plan also protects Ontario’s progress against the COVID‑19 pandemic.

“As we continue to protect the hard-won progress against the pandemic, our government is looking forward with our plan to build a better and brighter future for families, workers and businesses in Ontario,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. “By unlocking critical minerals in the North, harnessing our manufacturing capacity and building critical infrastructure, our plan will drive our economic recovery and prosperity for every region of our province.”

“Residents in Dufferin-Caledon have demonstrated the Ontario Spirit by working together to do their part in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jones. “The 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario is our government’s plan to support Ontarians by protecting our progress, building Ontario and working for workers, so that the province and all of our communities in Dufferin-Caledon can emerge stronger than ever.”

Highlights of the Fall Economic Statement include:

Moving forward with Highway 413 — a new 400-series highway and transit corridor across York, Peel and Halton regions that will help alleviate traffic congestion and improve the movement of people and goods across the province. The corridor will extend from Highway 400 in the east to the Highway 401/407 express toll route (ETR) interchange area in the west and will include a four-to-six-lane 400-series highway, separate infrastructure dedicated for transit and passenger stations, and intelligent transportation and truck parking. By 2031, the overall traffic on this route is expected to exceed 300,000 commutes per day.
To provide all regions of Ontario with access to affordable, reliable high-speed internet by the end of 2025, the Province made a historic commitment of nearly $4 billion over six years.
Investing an additional $17 million over two years, starting in 2022–23, to increase access to dental services for eligible seniors across Ontario. This investment will support new and renovated dental clinics and the procurement of additional mobile dental buses to serve seniors enrolled in the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.
William Osler Health System — Peel Memorial Phase 2 Redevelopment — transforming the existing site and urgent care centre into a new 24/7 inpatient care hospital, enabling future development of an emergency department and meeting the growth needs of one of Ontario’s fastest growing communities.
To strengthen the health and long-term care workforce, Ontario is investing $342 million, beginning in 2021–22, to add over 5,000 new and upskilled registered nurses and registered practical nurses as well as 8,000 personal support workers. In addition, Ontario is investing $57.6 million, beginning in 2022–23, to hire 225 nurse practitioners in the long-term care sector.
To ensure long-term care resident safety, the government is providing an additional
$72.3 million over three years to increase enforcement capacity including doubling the number of inspectors across the province by 2022–23. This will make Ontario’s inspector to long-term care homes ratio the highest in Canada.
To address decades of neglect and help those waiting to get into long-term care, Ontario plans to invest an additional $3.7 billion, beginning in 2024–25, to build an additional 10,000 net new long-term care beds and upgrade 12,000 existing beds to modern design standards. This would bring total investment to $6.4 billion since spring 2019 — a historic investment that will lead to more than 30,000 net new beds by 2028 and about 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
To support workers, the government is proposing to increase the general minimum wage to $15 per hour effective January 1, 2022 and to eliminate the special minimum wage rate for liquor servers by raising it to the general minimum wage.
To help workers get good jobs, Ontario is investing an additional $90.3 million over
three years starting in 2021–22 in the Skilled Trades Strategy. Key new initiatives include creating a skilled trades career fair as well as enhancing the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program.
To provide more training opportunities for workers, the government is proposing to extend the Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit to 2022. The 2022 credit extension would provide an estimated $275 million in support to about 240,000 people, or $1,150, on average. Additionally, to support workers who need training to get a job, the Province is investing another $5 million in 2021–22 to expand the Second Career program.
To help the tourism and hospitality sectors recover, and encourage Ontario families to explore the province, the government is proposing a new temporary Ontario Staycation Tax Credit for 2022. The credit would provide an estimated $270 million to support over one-and-a-half million families to further discover Ontario.

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