Minister: Budget 2016 does benefit the North

TIMMINS - The 2016 Ontario budget includes a number of key initiatives that will continue to drive a strong Northern economy and create jobs for today and tomorrow.

In fact, the budget for 2016-17 will enable our government to continue its mandate to support prosperous Northern communities.

Through such initiatives as the $120 million Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program, the $100 million Northern Ontario Heritage Fund and various public infrastructure investments, including our commitment to triple the Ontario Community Investment Fund from $100 million to $300 million, our government will continue working to increase the competitiveness of business and industry, foster innovation and entrepreneurial prospects — and create new jobs in the North.

For example Budget 2016 will, allow our government to deliver $550 million in northern infrastructure through the Northern Ontario Highways Program including the four-laning east of Thunder Bay on Highway 11-17 and on Highway 69 between Sudbury and Parry Sound.

We’re proud of budget spending that includes $12 billion over 10 years to expand and rebuild hospitals which will support the renovation of acute and long-term beds at Atikokan General Hospital and the $8 million retrofitting of Alexander Henry High School, in Sault Ste. Marie, into a new JK-8 school.

We are proud of our accomplishments toward developing the Ring of Fire region and have reaffirmed our $1 billion commitment to transportation infrastructure in the region. We’re working closely with First Nation partners to ensure they are actively involved and will benefit from development in this region.

Furthermore, our budget will help thousands of Northern Ontario residents and families benefit from our proposed reforms to student assistance including no-cost tuition for low-income families.

Under our plan, students from families that make less than $50,000 will no longer have to worry about the cost of post-secondary tuition while those in families with middle-incomes will see significant reductions in tuition rates greatly benefitting families not just in the North but across Ontario.

This government cares about Northern Ontario and our record proves it.

So, too, will the government’s future work to realize the North’s potential as a sustainable, diverse, stable, innovative region that significantly contributes to the overall growth of Ontario’s economy.

Michael Gravelle, Minister,

Northern Development and Mines