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TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2016 /CNW/ - Investing in social services, job creation and economic growth must be the focus of the upcoming Ontario budget. That's the message Unifor delivered to the government's Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs at pre-budget consultations today.
"We need to see some bold changes in Ontario," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Katha Fortier. "Ontarians are looking for the government to re-focus its priorities and commit to enhanced government investment."
Fortier was at Queen's Park to submit the union's recommendations for the upcoming budget. The submission places special emphasis on restoring and enhancing public programs, investing in infrastructure and the advanced manufacturing sector, fair taxation and pension reform. Unifor is also urging the government to reverse the sale of Hydro One and cancel plans to sell off additional public assets.
"Austerity and an obsession with balanced budgets is the wrong approach," said Fortier. "It's time for Kathleen Wynne to live up to her promise to build Ontario up by investing in the economy, the infrastructure and the people of this province."
Unifor's key recommendations:
- Increase program spending
- Restore hospital funding
- Increase core funding of education, long-term & home care, social assistance & social services
- Strengthen investment in the advanced manufacturing sector
- Move forward on initiatives under the public infrastructure plan
- Reverse the sale of Hydro One and cancel plans to sell off additional public assets
- Implement a fairer tax system
- Prioritize working with federal and provincial governments to strengthen and expand the CPP
To read Unifor's entire pre-budget submission in pdf format visit: http://www.unifor.org/Ontariobudget2016
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers including roughly 160,000 here in Ontario. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.
SOURCE Unifor
