"The planning for the road has begun -- that was exactly the point we needed to get to. We have $1 billion we are beginning to invest in the building of that infrastructure.

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http://www.thesudburystar.com/2018/05/23/grits-pledge-major-investment-into-nohfc

Grits pledge major investment into NOHFC

By Mary Katherine Keown, The Sudbury Star

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 6:21:34 EDT PM

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne speaks at Crosscut Distillery during a campaign stop in Sudbury on Wednesday. Wynne was at Crosscut Distillery with Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault; Crosscut owner Shane Prodan; and Brian Johnson, the Liberal candidate for Timiskaming-Cochrane to highlight their plan to continue creating jobs across the north by expanding the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. The Ontario Liberals plan to increase NOHFC funding to $150 million per year by 2020-21. (Gino Donato/Sudbury Star)

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne stopped by the Nickel City on Wednesday as part of a northern Ontario campaign tour.

The premier, who said hers is the only party that really cares about northern Ontario, pledged to increase funding to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to $150 million per year by 2020 -- an increase of 50 per cent, Wynne said.

"We've created or retained more than 15,000 jobs in the north by partnering with business through the NOHFC," Wynne said. "That partnership has generated millions of dollars in economic activity. ... The NOHFC has been helping to build the north up. That's what we're committed to do."

Wynne made her stop at Crosscut Distillery -- a recent recipient of NOHFC funding. Flanked by Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault; Shane Prodan, who owns Crosscut; Shawn Mailloux, proprietor of Stack Brewing; and Brian Johnson, the Liberal candidate for Timiskaming-Cochrane, Wynne toured the distillery and asked a few questions before launching into her campaign speech.

Even 10 to 15 years Sudbury's economy was less diverse than it is now, Wynne said. She attributed a lot of that growth and diversification -- which includes tourism, agri-food, the film and TV industry, health care innovation, mining technology start-ups, craft breweries and distilleries -- to the NOHFC. But she said if voters choose one of the other parties on June 7, those successes could be at risk.

Wynne said neither Andrea Horwath's New Democrats nor Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives can be trusted. For one thing, Horwath admits to mistakes in the NDP plan.

"Andrea Horwath has already been forced to admit to a major math mistake in her platform and it has been widely reported that the NDP plan is full of errors and job-killing ideas," the Liberals said in a release. "This includes the NDP’s decision to cut $85 million from the NOHFC. By cutting NOHFC funding, the NDP is demonstrating that they are not looking out for the best interests of northerners. The NDP is not ready to take on Doug Ford, keep our economy strong, create jobs and deliver on the priorities that we hold in common."

The unique needs of disparate northern communities will not be addressed, Wynne said, if the New Democrats win next month.

"The NOHFC has helped diversify our economy, launch new industries and create good-paying jobs. Today, we have a thriving film and television sector and a growing knowledge industry, on top of our traditional resource jobs," Thibeault added. "We are growing more resilient by the day. The fact that an NDP government would cut the NOHFC’s funding shows that they have no idea how to create good, long-term jobs for northern communities. They don’t seem to prioritize the north at all, and have been trying to sell interchangeable, vague platforms with different region names pasted in."

The PCs will cut billions from the public service, the Liberals went on to say.

"Doug Ford and the Conservatives will cut billons from the services people depend on — such as health care, education and transit — while rewarding the rich with unnecessary tax cuts," the Grits noted. "Ford calls job-creating programs like the NOHFC and support for Bombardier 'corporate welfare' and can’t be trusted to continue making the investments northern communities need."

Wynne said she categorically disagrees with Ford's approach.

"This is about government working together with communities, with entrepreneurs, with businesses, to make sure they have what they need so they can grow and expand, and that's what the NOHFC is about," she said.

While Wynne said she knew this would be a difficult election for the Liberals, she pointed out that the Grits have "been building the province" month after month, by making steady investments into communities across the province.

"We have been steadily working to build the economy that we see now," she said. "Government is a partner, government builds the infrastructure ... We have built 800 new schools and 24 hospitals across this province, as well as roads and bridges and transit. We've been doing that work, hand in hand with communities, with the private sector. That is what we're bringing to the table."

Wynne also said the Liberals have a viable plan for the Ring of Fire. They have been working closely with the First Nation communities in the area, as well as the mining companies behind the Ring of Fire. Wynne said the Liberals are ready to invest as much as $1 billion to build a road to the northern mine location, which is rich with chromite.

"Unless there is a road and a way to get those minerals out, then there can't be that economic development of the Ring of Fire," she said. "The planning for the road has begun -- that was exactly the point we needed to get to. We have $1 billion we are beginning to invest in the building of that infrastructure. It is there, it is allocated. We are determined to make sure that economic development benefits the communities that are most closely associated geographically, as well as across the north. But we are going to do this in a way that is responsible environmentally, as well as economically."