Weekly Update – April 29th, 2022

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Dear Neighbour,

Yesterday, the Ontario government released the 2022 Budget.

Ontario’s Plan to Build has five pillars:

Rebuilding Ontario’s Economy
Working for Workers
Building Highways and Key Infrastructure
Keeping Costs Down
A Plan to Stay Open

Highlights in the Ontario 2022 Budget include:

Close to $1 billion committed for critical legacy infrastructure, such as all-season roads to the Ring of Fire to build the Corridor to Prosperity and seize Ontario’s critical mineral opportunities
More than $12 billion attracted in new investment for new vehicle production mandates and battery manufacturing over the past 18 months, to help create good manufacturing jobs
Estimated $8.9 billion in cost savings and support for Ontario employers, including small businesses
$1 billion annually in employment and training programs
An additional $114.4 million over three years for the Skilled Trades Strategy
New, three-year applied degree and four-year degree programs at Ontario colleges
$15.50 per hour general minimum wage, starting October 1, 2022
$158.8 billion capital plan over 10 years, including $20 billion in 2022–23: one of the most ambitious capital plans in Ontario’s history
$25.1 billion in capital over 10 years to support planning, building and improving highways, including Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, Highway 401 and Highway 7
$61.6 billion in capital over 10 years for public transit, including expanding GO rail services to London and Bowmanville
5.7 cents per litre cut to the gas tax for six months starting July 1
$120/year savings in Southern Ontario and $60/year savings in Northern Ontario by eliminating licence plate renewal fees for passenger and light commercial vehicles
$300 in additional tax relief in 2022, on average, for 1.1 million lower-income workers through the proposed Low-income Individuals and Families Tax Credit enhancement
Removing tolls on Highways 412 and 418
Over $40 billion in capital over 10 years for hospitals and other health infrastructure
$764 million over two years to provide nurses with up to $5,000 retention bonus
$42.5 million over two years to support expansion of medical education and training
Planning to invest up to an additional $1 billion in home care over three years

To read the full budget click here.

Investing $1 billion more over the next three years to further expand home care announced in the Ontaro 2022 budget will benefit the nearly 700,000 families who rely on home care annually, preventing unnecessary hospital and long-term care admissions and shortening hospital stays. Expanding home care will provide Ontarians with the choice to stay in their home and help with hospital capacity to keep the province open. This includes:

Investing $142 million to launch the new “Learn and Stay” grant. The program will start with $81 million over the next two years to expand the Community Commitment Program for Nurses for up to 1,500 nurse graduates each year to receive full tuition reimbursement in exchange for committing to practice for two years in an underserved community. Starting in Spring 2023, applications will open for up to 2,500 eligible students each year who commit to stay in their region working in an underserved community for up to two years after graduating. Students will be eligible to receive full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other direct educational costs.
Investing $764 million over two years to provide Ontario’s nurses with a retention incentive of up to $5,000 per person.
Training more doctors through the largest expansion of medical school education in over 10 years by adding 160 undergraduate seats and 295 postgraduate positions over the next five years.
Shoring-up domestic production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and critical supplies and equipment (CSE) through first-of-its-kind-in-Canada legislation that requires the province to maintain an ongoing supply of PPE and CSE to protect Ontario’s public services and its critical frontline workers who provide essential services.
Building hospital beds through more than 50 major capital expansion projects that would add 3,000 new beds over 10 years and additional investments to support the continuation of over 3,000 acute and post-acute beds in hospitals and alternate health care facilities, and hundreds of new adult, paediatric and neonatal critical care beds.

I have heard from many constituents this past week about a scheduled Al-Quds Day demonstration that will possibly be held on provincial grounds. As many of you already know, Al-Quds Day was created in 1979 by the Islamic Regime of Iran which calls for the complete destruction of Israel. These events held in Canada have continuously been forums of antisemitic and Jewish hate.

I will remain unwavering in my commitment to end all types of hate. This morning, I wrote to the Premier and Attorney General to reiterate my commitment and urged them to take all appropriate steps to ensure that provincial government property is not used to host this gathering of hate.

The legislature has adjourned for the 42nd Parliament Session and resumes on September 12th, 2022. It has truly been a privilege and honour to serve you all during this time. I have had many highlights during my four years including passing my private members’ bill that establishes a life-saving provincial registry defibrillator, helping small businesses stay on our main streets by proposing and having passed property tax reforms, passing a new anti-human trafficking protocol for school boards across Ontario, and having the Ontario government adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism among many more.

Over the last four years, I’ve delivered these results with integrity, honesty and hard-work, and I thank you for giving me that opportunity to do so. I look forward to four more years.

As the election will officially be called next week, my constituency office will remain open throughout the election to provide assistance to constituents in accessing government programs and services. My office will be open for in-person visits from Monday to Friday, 10:00AM to 4:00PM. We encourage you to continue to contact us at (416) 781-2395 or email robin.martin@pc.ola.org. We remain ready to assist.

Warmest Wishes,

Robin Martin, MPP
Eglinton-Lawrence

For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information from the Government of Ontario visit ontario.ca/coronavirus

HIGHLIGHTS
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

The province released its 2022 Budget called Ontario’s Plan to Build
Ontario Attracting More Skilled Newcomers to Strengthen Economy
Ontario Increasing Supports to Build Stronger and Safer Communities in Toronto
Ontario Building New Patient Tower at Toronto Western Hospital

HIGHLIGHTS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Government of Canada continues to invest in businesses and communities so they can rebound from the effects of COVID-19

HIGHLIGHTS
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

Toronto History Museums to permanently provide free general admission year-round
City of Toronto approves the first training provider for vehicle-for-hire drivers

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Authorized by the CFO for the Eglinton-Lawrence PC Association