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Global News
30-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
A council was gridlocked over development charges. Then Ontario promised $1.3B
It wasn't unprecedented — but it was a rare move — when councillors from Brampton and Caledon walked out of a regional council meeting at the start of June, forcing proceedings to halt. The decision to abandon the meeting was made by the two municipalities over a motion Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish brought to slash development charges in half for more than a year to spur building. Parrish said the move was necessary to restart new home construction, which has almost completely stopped; Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Caledon Mayor Annette Groves said it was financially irresponsible. Heading into the next council meeting two weeks later on June 26, it looked like Parrish would bring her motion again and her colleagues would walk out again, leaving the region paralyzed. Instead, after a lengthy recess where staff and councillors passed compromises back and forth, a very lightly modified version of the motion was allowed to pass. Story continues below advertisement A news release from the Region of Peel proclaimed the move both 'landmark' and 'historic' — offering developers a 50 per cent discount on the fees they pay to build until November 2026. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy But what changed between the June 12 walkout and the mutual congratulations passed around the council table two weeks later? Parrish and Brown say it was a delicate negotiation with the promise of more than $1 billion from Housing Minister Rob Flack. The day before the meeting — as Brown and Groves worried about the cost of lost revenue from developers — Flack wrote to the region to encourage them to pass the development charges cut. 'I appreciate the Region's proactive approach to reviewing and reducing their municipal DCs to support building more homes faster across Peel Region in a way that works for all municipalities within the Region,' a June 25 letter from the housing minister said. It included the promise of $1.3 billion from the Building Ontario Fund to be handed over as part of the Ford government's plan to create a public utility company in the region, taking the responsibility away from councillors in Peel Region. That money can be used to offset the costs of losing control of water and wastewater utilities, and to cover lost development charges, the ministry said. The motion passed by Peel Region councillors says that if by October the funding from the province looks like it won't show up, the development charges cut will be axed. Story continues below advertisement The promise of more than $1 billion proved to be the key to unsticking Peel Region's warring mayors. A spokesperson for the Brampton mayor said having the promise of funding written down and on the record allowed him to vote in favour of the development charges cut. 'He requested their proposals in written form and says the letter was impactful in achieving a compromise at the regional meeting today,' they said in response to questions. 'Mayor Brown wanted assurances that any concessions to the development industry wasn't at the expense of critical regional infrastructure.' Parrish also said she felt the housing minister had helped to steer the council to being able to cut charges. She said she was confident developers would leap at the cut of development charges and start building again. 'We have 11,000 units in letters of commitment,' Parrish said. 'They're putting up, they want to build … they're at the point where they can build now as long as these two big fees stay out of the picture.' Flack's office said the $1.3 billion coming to Peel Region would be used as 'financing' to help with the utility transfer, which is a move they hope will also phase out development charges on water and wastewater infrastructure. 'We will continue to ensure Peel Region has the tools and support they need to build more new and affordable homes,' a spokesperson said.
Hamilton Spectator
28-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
$1.3 billion from province prompts Peel council to cut development charges for Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon after walkout halted earlier vote
Peel Region council has voted to cut development charges in half for a 16-month period in an effort to spur housing construction across Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon. The decision, passed June 26, reduces regional development charges by 50 per cent from July 10, 2025, to Nov. 13, 2026. The goal is to lower upfront costs for developers and accelerate the pace of residential construction amid a housing affordability crisis. The move comes just two weeks after a heated council meeting on June 12, when Brampton and Caledon councillors walked out in protest of a similar proposal — leaving council without quorum and halting the vote. At the time, the motion had been championed by Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish and opposed by Brampton and Caledon leaders, who warned it would jeopardize essential infrastructure projects by stripping away critical funding. Their support this time followed a financial commitment from the Ontario government. In a letter from Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, addressed to the three mayors and Peel Regional Chair Nando Iannicca, the province committed $1.3 billion via the Building Ontario Fund to offset revenue loss from the development charge reduction. The motion received strong support from members of the developer industry, including developers like Starlight Investments, Emblem Developments and SmartCentres REIT writing to council ahead of the vote to endorse the proposal. SmartCentres REIT said its properties could support up to 20,000 new residential units, but noted that high development charges and economic pressures were making many projects financially unviable. 'This is not a matter of unwillingness; it is a matter of inability,' wrote Allan Scully, executive vice-president of development, in a June 19 letter. 'A meaningful DC reduction is a necessary and timely measure.' The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) also welcomed the decision. 'The decision will benefit those looking to call the region home, will support the construction of new homes and encourage much needed starts,' said Justin Sherwood, BILD's senior vice-president of communications. In a post on social media following the vote, Parrish thanked Brampton and Caledon for ultimately supporting the measure and credited the province for helping to move it forward. 'Huge thank you to Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Robert Flack and to Premier Ford for making this essential step forward to igniting residential building in Mississauga and the Region of Peel,' she wrote on X . 'Huge thanks also to Brampton and Caledon for having faith in Minister Flack.' During the council meeting, Mayor Annette Groves of Caledon also expressed gratitude to the province for stepping in. '$1.3 billion is a big number,' she said. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown similarly pointed to the provincial commitment as a key turning point. In a July 27 statement, his office said Brown had been in regular contact with Minister Flack and the Premier's Office in the lead-up to the vote, and had requested the province provide its proposals in writing. That written commitment, the statement noted, 'was impactful in achieving a compromise at the regional meeting today.' It added that Brown 'wanted assurances that any concessions to the development industry weren't at the expense of critical regional infrastructure.' In addition to the temporary fee reduction, the motion directs Peel Region to apply for funding through the federal Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to help offset financial impacts. Regional staff have also been tasked with consulting the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for clarity on a proposed Peel utility model and reporting back by fall 2026. Council further asked staff to meet with BILD and other stakeholders to explore whether development charge savings could be passed along to homebuyers. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
16-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Doug Ford's government vows to ‘protect Ontario' from Donald Trump's tariffs with record $232.5B budget
Woe Canada, Ontario claims to stand on guard for thee. With the economy battered by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and unemployment rising, Premier Doug Ford's government has tabled a record $232.5-billion provincial budget to 'protect Ontario' and promote national unity. 'When all of Canada wins, Ontario wins,' Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Thursday in a boosterish speech that noted 'it is amazing to witness the burst of patriotism across our province and our great country' in the face of Trump's tariffs. Wary of smouldering secessionist sentiment in Alberta, Bethlenfalvy stressed 'all levels of government need to work together to tackle the most pressing issues facing Ontario and Canada today … and deliver on nation-building projects such as reactors, seaports, railroads, pipelines and refineries.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW That means encouraging Prime Minister Mark Carney's new Liberal government to 'clear the maze of bureaucracy and red tape, barriers like Ottawa's Bill C-69,' to allow energy infrastructure to be built more quickly. With Trump's tariffs — real and threatened — triggering economic uncertainty, the recently re-elected Progressive Conservative government is launching a new $5-billion 'Protecting Ontario Account' to give immediate emergency cash supports to businesses affected by the slowdown. 'Tariffs have created an economic challenge across Ontario — and it is our communities who are hurting the most,' the treasurer said in a budget address that mentioned 'Canada' 33 times and 'Ontario' 70 times, but, unlike the April 15 throne speech, did not cite Trump by name. Indeed, unemployment in the province now sits at 7.8 per cent — above the national rate of 6.9 per cent — and a full percentage point higher than the 6.8 per cent this time last year. In 2023, it was five per cent. To tackle that, Bethlenfalvy is earmarking $20 million for new training and support centres 'providing immediate transition supports for laid-off workers, including those impacted by U.S. tariffs,' over and above the $2.5 billion promised for skills development and retraining programs over three years. With growth expected to sputter to just 0.8 per cent this year, the Tories are giving the economy a cash infusion with borrowed money, adding $5 billion to the Building Ontario Fund for affordable housing, long-term-care homes and energy projects, and tripling to $3 billion a fund to help Indigenous communities build infrastructure. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Touting a slew of initiatives to promote consumption of domestic goods from cars to cannabis, Bethlenfalvy decreed that the Friday before Canada Day will hitherto be known as 'Buy Ontarian, Buy Canadian' day to promote local products. It will be 'held annually on the last Friday in June to help consumers support local businesses and workers through programs such as Ontario Made, Ontario Wood, Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) for wine, and Foodland Ontario.' That dovetails with the push from Ford and Carney to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by July 1, which the premier and prime minister maintain could add $200 billion to the Canadian economy. Along with measures to boost sales of red wine, there was a lot of red ink in the budget, the first to be tabled since Ford's three-term Tories were re-elected Feb. 27. Last year's projected $9.8-billion deficit turned out to be a $6-billion shortfall. But the $4.6-billion deficit previously forecast for 2025-26 has ballooned to an anticipated $14.6 billion — a $10-billion increase due to spending on tariff-related measures. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW A month ago, Ford announced he would temporarily defer some provincial taxes through to Oct. 1, freeing up about $9 billion in cashflow for 80,000 tariff-hit employers to keep workers on the job. He also gave businesses an additional $2 billion in rebates through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Bethlenfalvy said the deficit would be $7.8 billion next year before the government goes back into the black with a $200 million surplus in 2027-28. 'We are seeing our debt-to-GDP ratio — which is an excellent way to measure an economy's fiscal health — near the lowest levels in almost 15 years, and now we can use that balance sheet to protect workers and businesses,' he told the legislature. Ontario's debt has jumped to a projected $489.8 billion this fiscal year — up $166.8 billion since Ford's Tories took office thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's a staggering 51.6 per cent increase from the $323-billion debt inherited from the previous Liberals of premier Kathleen Wynne seven years ago. Queen's Park will spend $16.2 billion on interest payments in 2025-26 — greater than the budgets of every single ministry except Health ($81.9 billion), Education ($42.7 billion) and Children, Community and Social Services ($20.4 billion) — climbing to $17 billion next year. NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the Tories are spending more while Ontarians are getting less for their tax dollars. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'This is a Band-Aid budget, a missed opportunity to strengthen Ontario,' said Stiles. Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said her party supports 'providing stimulus to ride through this critical time.' 'But in the long term, what's in it for the people who are still waiting 20 hours in an emergency room for care?' she said. Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the fiscal plan 'utterly fails' on improving housing affordability. 'We will not tariff-proof Ontario if people can't afford to live in this province. We are not helping the people who need the help, the most low- and middle-income families,' said Schreiner. As first disclosed by the Star on Wednesday, Bethlenfalvy's 232-page spending plan says that beyond the bike lanes the province wants removed from Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue, bikeways will be taken off of Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road in order to have more car lanes. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Ontario is reconfiguring some of Toronto's most congested streets,' the budget stated in a section that also included Ford's controversial scheme to tunnel under Highway 401 from Mississauga to Scarborough in order reduce gridlock. The spending blueprint reiterated the Tories' commitment to expanding TTC and GO Transit services and boasts that 'major construction … is now complete' for the Eglinton Crosstown and the Finch West LRTs, but did not specify opening dates for those delayed projects. Construction began on the 19-kilometre Crosstown LRT in 2012 under former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty. The Star has reported it could finally open in September. Finally, buried on the last page of the budget, there will be a new law that will allow former cabinet ministers of all political stripes to call themselves 'Honorary Members of the Executive Council.' That means they can use the honorific 'the honourable,' bringing Ontario in line with titles enjoyed by ex-ministers in Ottawa and other provinces. With files from Rob Ferguson Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
Hamilton Spectator
16-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford's government vows to ‘protect Ontario' from Donald Trump's tariffs with record $232.5B budget
Woe Canada, Ontario claims to stand on guard for thee. With the economy battered by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and unemployment rising, Premier Doug Ford's government has tabled a record $232.5-billion provincial budget to 'protect Ontario' and promote national unity. 'When all of Canada wins, Ontario wins,' Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Thursday in a boosterish speech that noted 'it is amazing to witness the burst of patriotism across our province and our great country' in the face of Trump's tariffs. Wary of smouldering secessionist sentiment in Alberta, Bethlenfalvy stressed 'all levels of government need to work together to tackle the most pressing issues facing Ontario and Canada today … and deliver on nation-building projects such as reactors, seaports, railroads, pipelines and refineries.' That means encouraging Prime Minister Mark Carney's new Liberal government to 'clear the maze of bureaucracy and red tape, barriers like Ottawa's Bill C-69,' to allow energy infrastructure to be built more quickly. With Trump's tariffs — real and threatened — triggering economic uncertainty, the recently re-elected Progressive Conservative government is launching a new $5-billion 'Protecting Ontario Account' to give immediate emergency cash supports to businesses affected by the slowdown. 'Tariffs have created an economic challenge across Ontario — and it is our communities who are hurting the most,' the treasurer said in a budget address that mentioned 'Canada' 33 times and 'Ontario' 70 times, but, unlike the April 15 throne speech , did not cite Trump by name. Indeed, unemployment in the province now sits at 7.8 per cent — above the national rate of 6.9 per cent — and a full percentage point higher than the 6.8 per cent this time last year. In 2023, it was five per cent. To tackle that, Bethlenfalvy is earmarking $20 million for new training and support centres 'providing immediate transition supports for laid-off workers, including those impacted by U.S. tariffs,' over and above the $2.5 billion promised for skills development and retraining programs over three years. With growth expected to sputter to just 0.8 per cent this year, the Tories are giving the economy a cash infusion with borrowed money, adding $5 billion to the Building Ontario Fund for affordable housing, long-term-care homes and energy projects, and tripling to $3 billion a fund to help Indigenous communities build infrastructure. Touting a slew of initiatives to promote consumption of domestic goods from cars to cannabis, Bethlenfalvy decreed that the Friday before Canada Day will hitherto be known as 'Buy Ontarian, Buy Canadian' day to promote local products. It will be 'held annually on the last Friday in June to help consumers support local businesses and workers through programs such as Ontario Made, Ontario Wood, Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) for wine, and Foodland Ontario.' That dovetails with the push from Ford and Carney to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by July 1, which the premier and prime minister maintain could add $200 billion to the Canadian economy. Along with measures to boost sales of red wine, there was a lot of red ink in the budget, the first to be tabled since Ford's three-term Tories were re-elected Feb. 27. Last year's projected $9.8-billion deficit turned out to be a $6-billion shortfall. But the $4.6-billion deficit previously forecast for 2025-26 has ballooned to an anticipated $14.6 billion — a $10-billion increase due to spending on tariff-related measures. A month ago, Ford announced he would temporarily defer some provincial taxes through to Oct. 1, freeing up about $9 billion in cashflow for 80,000 tariff-hit employers to keep workers on the job. He also gave businesses an additional $2 billion in rebates through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Bethlenfalvy said the deficit would be $7.8 billion next year before the government goes back into the black with a $200 million surplus in 2027-28. 'We are seeing our debt-to-GDP ratio — which is an excellent way to measure an economy's fiscal health — near the lowest levels in almost 15 years, and now we can use that balance sheet to protect workers and businesses,' he told the legislature. Ontario's debt has jumped to a projected $489.8 billion this fiscal year — up $166.8 billion since Ford's Tories took office thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's a staggering 51.6 per cent increase from the $323-billion debt inherited from the previous Liberals of premier Kathleen Wynne seven years ago. Queen's Park will spend $16.2 billion on interest payments in 2025-26 — greater than the budgets of every single ministry except Health ($81.9 billion), Education ($42.7 billion) and Children, Community and Social Services ($20.4 billion) — climbing to $17 billion next year. NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the Tories are spending more while Ontarians are getting less for their tax dollars. 'This is a Band-Aid budget, a missed opportunity to strengthen Ontario,' said Stiles. Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said her party supports 'providing stimulus to ride through this critical time.' 'But in the long term, what's in it for the people who are still waiting 20 hours in an emergency room for care?' she said. Green Leader Mike Schreiner said the fiscal plan 'utterly fails' on improving housing affordability. 'We will not tariff-proof Ontario if people can't afford to live in this province. We are not helping the people who need the help, the most low- and middle-income families,' said Schreiner. As first disclosed by the Star on Wednesday, Bethlenfalvy's 232-page spending plan says that beyond the bike lanes the province wants removed from Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue, bikeways will be taken off of Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road in order to have more car lanes. 'Ontario is reconfiguring some of Toronto's most congested streets,' the budget stated in a section that also included Ford's controversial scheme to tunnel under Highway 401 from Mississauga to Scarborough in order reduce gridlock. The spending blueprint reiterated the Tories' commitment to expanding TTC and GO Transit services and boasts that 'major construction … is now complete' for the Eglinton Crosstown and the Finch West LRTs, but did not specify opening dates for those delayed projects. Construction began on the 19-kilometre Crosstown LRT in 2012 under former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty. The Star has reported it could finally open in September . Finally, buried on the last page of the budget, there will be a new law that will allow former cabinet ministers of all political stripes to call themselves 'Honorary Members of the Executive Council.' That means they can use the honorific 'the honourable,' bringing Ontario in line with titles enjoyed by ex-ministers in Ottawa and other provinces. With files from Rob Ferguson
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A running list of Ontario election promises in campaign for snap Feb. 27 vote
TORONTO — A running list of election promises announced by the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, NDP, Liberals and Greens in the province's snap election campaign. The vote is set for Feb. 27. Progressive Conservatives Feb. 8 on security: Spend $50 million to expand the Ontario Provincial Police's Joint-Air Support Unit with two new H-135 helicopters to support the Niagara Regional Police and the Windsor Police Service with increased border patrols, security and enforcement. Feb. 7 on transportation: Build a tunnel under Highway 401 from Mississauga in the west to the Markham area in the east, at an unknown cost. Feb. 6 on transit: Seek to build a freight rail bypass along the Highway 407 corridor in Peel Region. Feb. 5 on affordability: Take tolls off Highway 407 East, the provincially owned portion of the highway. Permanently cut the provincial gas tax by 5.7 cents a litre, which the PC government has already done on a temporary basis since July 2022. Feb. 4 on transit: Upload the Ottawa LRT and integrate its operations under provincial transit agency Metrolinx, taking costs off the city's books to the tune of about $4 billion over a few decades. Feb. 3 on tariffs: Spend $10 billion toward support for employers through a six-month deferral of provincially administered taxes on Ontario businesses and $3 billion toward payroll tax and premium relief, $600 million in a fund aimed at attracting investments, and $300 million to expand an Ontario manufacturing tax credit. Jan. 31 on infrastructure: Spend $15 billion over three years to speed up capital projects including widening the Queen Elizabeth Way between Burlington and St. Catharines. Add $5 billion to the Building Ontario Fund. Add $2 billion to the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund. Add $300 million to the Community Sport and Recreation Fund. Jan. 30 on electric vehicles: Commit to deals with Stellantis and Volkswagen for their battery plants regardless of what happens with U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs and rip up electric vehicle tax credits. Jan. 30 on tariffs: Invest $1 billion in a skills development fund for autoworkers to transition to a different trade and another $100 million for an employment fund to help workers who are vulnerable to trade disputes transition to "in-demand" jobs. Jan. 29 on infrastructure: Spend $1 billion to build a new police college. No further details were provided. NDP Feb. 8 on affordability: Create a monthly grocery rebate for lower- and middle-income Ontarians, linked to inflation, with a family of four able to get up to $122 per month. Create a provincial consumer watchdog office. Establish a Corporate Crime and Competition Bureau. Force large retailers to publicly post when they raise prices more than two per cent in a week. Feb. 7 on health care: Ensure every Ontarian has access to a family doctor by recruiting and supporting 3,500 new doctors, reduce administrative burden on doctors, introduce more family health teams and shorter specialist wait times, and increase the number of internationally trained doctors, at a total cost of $4 billion. Feb. 6 on housing: End a loophole that exempts rental units built after 2018 from rent control. Crack down on renovictions and demovictions. Allow fourplexes as of right in all neighbourhoods and allow midrise apartments along transit corridors as of right. Limit short-term rentals like AirBnB's to primary residences. Build or acquire at least 300,000 affordable rental homes. Feb. 5 on homelessness: End encampments and tackle chronic homelessness by creating 60,000 supportive housing units, having the province pay for shelter costs instead of municipalities and doubling social assistance rates. Feb. 4 on education: Spend an additional $830 million to repair schools. Hire more school staff. Create a universal school food program. Support students with disabilities. Invest in French education. Feb. 3 on tariffs: Implement a federal-provincial income support program, direct agencies to procure locally and create new supply chains for trade-exposed industries. The NDP did not say how much this would cost, only that it would work in lockstep with the federal government to deliver the stimulus. Jan. 27 on affordability: Get rid of tolls for all drivers on Highway 407, on both the government-owned portion and the privately owned part, named the 407 ETR. The party also pledged to buy that part back. Liberals Feb. 8 on accountability: Appoint a special investigator to look into various plans and deals under Doug Ford, including the $612 million cost of speeding up the availability of alcohol in corner stores by one year, the sudden closure of the Ontario Science Centre and the now-reversed Greenbelt land swap, also under RCMP criminal investigation. Feb. 5 on affordability: Double Ontario Disability Support Program benefits. The boost would be pegged to inflation and phased in over two years. Feb. 3 on tariffs: Offer a $150,000 bonus to Canadian doctors and nurses working in the U.S. if they come back here to work, establish a "fight tariff fund" giving Ontario businesses lower interest rates, and eliminate interprovincial trade barriers. Also pledged to phase in rent control. No costing for the plan was included. Jan. 31 on transit: Boost transit safety by hiring 300 special constables, doubling investment in mobile crisis intervention teams, giving transit services an unspecified amount of money for safety equipment such as cameras, and installing platform doors in all Toronto subway stations. Jan. 31 on affordability: Cut middle income tax bracket by 22 per cent and take HST off home heating and hydro bills. Jan. 30 on electric vehicles: Bring back consumer rebates for electric-vehicle purchases in an effort to help slumping sales. Jan. 29 on health care: Give all Ontarians access to a family doctor within four years by significantly expanding the health team network and recruiting thousands of new domestically and internationally trained family doctors. Greens Feb. 7 on affordability: Cut income taxes for people making under $65,000 a year and raise taxes on people in the top tax bracket. Feb. 6 on affordability: Immediately double Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works rates and tie future increases to inflation. Build 310,000 affordable non-profit and co-op homes, including 60,000 supportive homes. Feb. 5 on agriculture: Expand business risk management programs by $150 million annually. Develop local procurement guidelines for public sector food purchases. Create an AgTech Innovation Fund for the food and farming sector. Mandate permanent protection of farmland. Feb. 4 on local priorities: advocate for new hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge. Safeguard the watershed and work with Indigenous communities to conserve 30 per cent of natural areas by 2030. Feb. 3 on housing: Allow fourplexes across the province and homes with six units in large cities, and mid-rise buildings of six to 11 storeys on transit corridors and main streets. The Greens also pledged to remove development charges on homes under 2,000 square feet and remove the land transfer tax for first-time homebuyers. Jan. 31 on tariffs: Create a tariff task force, create an investment tax credit, develop a Buy Ontario strategy, create a Protect Ontario Fund for businesses disproportionately impacted, diversify trade partners and work to remove interprovincial trade barriers. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2025. The Canadian Press
