Ontario budget prepares workers for upcoming economic challenges, says CAW President

TORONTO - The Ontario government's budget announcement MArch 25, 2008 that it will spend over $2 billion on job creation, training and much needed infrastructure projects as well as millions of dollars on poverty reduction are important steps toward preparing workers for challenging economic times, CAW President Buzz Hargrove says.

"The Ontario government's announcement today that will spend hundreds of millions on improving transit, roads, bridges, water systems and other projects will not only help rebuild our communities, but also create jobs at a crucial time," Hargrove said.

As part of the recent multi-year $17.5 billion MoveOntario 2020 program announcement, expected to create over 175,000 jobs, the government has earmarked nearly $500 million to improve public transit in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton, along with additional funds to improve GO Transit infrastructure and millions of new investment dollars for municipal infrastructure projects throughout the province.

With the high Canadian dollar, unfair trade agreements and the lack of federal government action to deal with the crisis of manufacturing job loss, the Ontario government budget is an important step in buffering the impact on workers, he said.

A new three-year $1.5 billion Skills to Jobs Action Plan has been established that will provide workers with long-term training opportunities and facilitate the movement into new jobs. Part of this plan will include a $355 million Second Career Strategy program to support much-needed career change training for workers, many of whom have been impacted by manufacturing job loss, along with $75 million toward expanding apprenticeship training.

The government has also allocated millions of dollars in business tax relief that will encourage new investment for Ontario manufacturers along with employer-based training in the manufacturing sector.

In addition the $100 million earmarked for social housing will at least begin to address the lack of affordable housing for many of the province's poor, he said.

"Spending more on infrastructure, training, housing and manufacturing is exactly the right way to respond to an economic downturn," added Hargrove. "In contrast, Jim Flaherty is wasting billions on corporate tax cuts that will have no measurable impact on investment or jobs."

The budget also has crucial measures to help the poor including $135 million toward free dental care for the working poor and $32 million to help provide nutritious snacks in schools and community centres among other initiatives.

"These measures are an important first step toward developing a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for the province," he said. "Unfortunately, the government still has a long way to go if they are to undo the devastation left by the Mike Harris government on low-income Ontarians."