Our government is working hard to deliver on items that matter to Ontarians. In this edition of the Weekly Update, you can find the latest news on what the province is doing to:
- Improve Safety of Roads and Communities
- Expand Support for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
- Increase Production of Electric Vehicle Components
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Ontario Improving Safety of Roads and Communities
The Ontario government has introduced legislation that, if passed, would improve community safety and protect people and families from road users who engage in dangerous and illegal activities such as stunt driving and auto theft. The Safer Roads and Communities Act would also strengthen the province’s commercial vehicle enforcement program and improve e-bike safety.
“While Ontario has some of the safest roads in North America, one in three fatalities is caused by impaired driving and one in five involves large trucks,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “That is why our government is introducing tough new legislation that will target road users who engage in reckless behaviour including driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, stunt driving and auto theft.”
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The Safer Roads and Communities Act would increase the powers of Ministry of Transportation Enforcement Officers (TEOs) by allowing them to exceed posted speed limits for enforcement purposes, compel trucks and commercial vehicles to pull over and confiscate fraudulent or suspended driver’s licences. Additionally, the government will lead a comprehensive review of commercial driving training and hold provincewide stakeholder roundtables to seek industry and public feedback on measures to improve road safety.
As the popularity of e-bikes continues to rise in Ontario, so does the reported number of collisions, significant injuries and fatalities. The proposed legislation would enable the government to categorize more dangerous e-bikes into distinct classes such as by maximum weight or speed, to improve safety on the road for pedestrians, bikes and cars.
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Ontario Taking Impaired Drivers Off the Street
The Ontario government is investing $4.8 million over the next two years to expand the Starter Company Plus program, helping an additional 500 entrepreneurs seed, start or grow a business.
“Ontario’s entrepreneurs are vital to our economy. Our goal is to ensure we continue to provide the right supports and tools to help the province’s businesses thrive,” said Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business. “The Starter Company Plus program provides training, mentoring and business advice alongside a grant to help ensure people have the support they need to grow their business.”
The Starter Company Plus program, delivered through the province’s Small Business Enterprise Centres, provides entrepreneurs aged 18 and up with one-on-one support, access to workshops, seminars or networking events and grants up to $5,000 to help start or expand a business. Over the past five years, Starter Company Plus has supported over 5,500 companies resulting in the creation of more than 6,300 jobs across Ontario. This new investment will increase total funding for the program to $6.5 million per year.
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“Ontario’s next generations of entrepreneurs will help determine our province’s bright economic future, and it is our job to ensure they have the tools they need to thrive in tomorrow’s economy,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “By continuing our investments to support the Starter Company Plus program, our government is one step closer to securing Ontario’s place as the best place to do business anywhere in the world.”
Small businesses play a critical role in our communities and are an essential part of Ontario’s economy, employing over two million people. Ontario offers a range of programs and supports to assist entrepreneurs towards starting and growing new companies, including Regional Innovation Centres, Intellectual Property Ontario, Summer Company and tailored options, advice and business analysis through business advisory services.
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Asahi Kasei to Build a Battery Component Plant in Port Colborne, Ontario
Canada is a global leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market. As demand for EVs continues to grow, we want more of these vehicles to be assembled right here in Canada. In the last four years, more than $46 billion has been invested by auto, EV battery, and battery component manufacturers across the country, with billions more in the pipeline. These global companies want a reliable partner with world-class talent, and this is exactly what we have to offer.
Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, is welcoming Asahi Kasei Corporation’s investment of approximately $1.6 billion to build an EV battery separator plant in Port Colborne, Ontario. As medium-to long-term growth is forecasted in the North American EV market, the company expects to make additional multi-billion-dollar investments through multiple phases. Details regarding direct jobs created by this investment are currently being finalized and will be announced at a later date.
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Asahi Kasei’s decision to build this new facility in Port Colborne is a testament to Canada and Ontario’s competitive business environment, highly skilled workforce, and dependable supply chains. The project is expected to benefit from federal support through the Clean Technology Manufacturing investment tax credit. Ontario expects to support this project with both direct and indirect incentives.
Our auto sector has long been an engine of economic growth, driving innovation and creating good-paying jobs for Canadians. As demand for EVs continues to grow, we are well positioned to attract further investment, solidifying our leadership in auto, EV battery, and battery material industries, and creating economic growth and opportunities now and for generations to come.
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My constituency office is open Monday to Friday from 10AM to 4PM.
If you have any questions or concerns we’re readily available to assist you.
You can also reach us by phone at (416) 781-2395
or by email at robin.martin@pc.ola.org.
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Warmest Wishes,
 Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence
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