Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker is calling on the provincial government to ensure their next budget gives Ontarians cheaper energy rates, better frontline health-care services, and a plan to pay down debt.
Walker believes those are the priorities of his constituents.
“It’s unjustifiable that their mistakes have translated into Ontario ratepayers paying the highest energy price in North America and that over the next 18 years, we will be essentially overcharged $133 billion above and beyond what the electricity is supposed to cost to generate and distribute,” said MPP Walker.
Walker says Ontario residents pay the highest energy rates in North America, and will be overcharged by $133 billion dollars over the next 18 years.
Walker's conservative party wants a plan to make energy affordable, while halting the sale of further shares in Hydro One.
Walker also wants to see a plan to properly manage Ontario's Health Care system, which he says has seen cuts of $815million in physician services, and $54 million in the 2015 spring budget.
He says the average family has seen hydro costs increase by more than $1,000. a year since the Liberal Government was elected, with an additional 42% increase planned by 2018.
Walker adds Ontario's debt has grown by 91 per cent in less than 10 years, the highest rate of growth of any federal or provincial government in Canada.
He adds if revenue and spending continue as they have for the past four years, the Liberal Government will run a deficit of $3.5 billion in 2017-2018.
Walker claims the interest on Ontario’s debt for 2015-2016 is estimated to be $11.3-billion, which is the equivalent of a year of long-term care for 222,043 seniors, 44,120 beds in a palliative care unit for one year, 40,347 hospital beds for one year, 169,052,488 MRI scans.
“These recommendations are part of our effort to ensure that this government doesn’t cut another $54 million in health care funding as it did in last year’s budget, leaving patients without the care and services they need and deserve,” he said.
“I sincerely hope the government will accept them and show that they took the pre-budget hearings and public consultations seriously. I would prefer to see money going to help people than to paying interest on their growing debt,” said MPP Walker.
