Ontario’s Snap Election: A Comprehensive Breakdown of Party Promises

As the Ontario snap election scheduled for February 27 approaches, each of the major political parties, including the Progressive Conservatives, NDP, Liberals, and Greens, have laid out a variety of campaign promises. Below is a detailed summary of the commitments made by each party during their campaigns:

Progressive Conservative Promises:

1. Critical Minerals (Feb. 23): The Progressive Conservatives have committed to investing $500 million over the next three years to create a fund designed to incentivize projects within the critical minerals processing industry. The aim is to leverage additional private investment in the sector.
2. First Nations Support (Feb. 22): The PC Party proposes adding $70 million to the Aboriginal Participation Fund to help train workers, thereby enabling First Nations communities to directly benefit from critical mineral development projects. Additionally, they plan to launch a $3-billion program designed to support First Nations’ equity involvement in various sectors, which is set to triple the existing loan guarantee program.
3. Interprovincial Trade (Feb. 20): The Progressive Conservatives plan to eliminate all remaining party-specific exemptions under the Canada Free Trade Agreement. This includes facilitating direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across willing provinces and territories and recognizing certifications for key workers across Canada, such as those in trucking.
4. Wildfires (Feb. 14): In response to wildfire management, the PCs propose purchasing six new waterbombers over a span of ten years, costing an estimated $530 million.
5. Transportation Improvements (Feb. 14): The government plans to widen Highway 69, expanding it from two lanes to four, improving transportation between Sudbury and Parry Sound, Ontario.
6. Energy Security (Feb. 10): The PCs have vowed to prohibit Chinese equity ownership in Ontario government-funded energy, critical mineral, and infrastructure projects.
7. Police and Security (Feb. 8): They aim to spend $50 million to enhance the Ontario Provincial Police’s Joint-Air Support Unit by adding two new helicopters. This initiative will support border patrols and increase overall security, especially in areas like Niagara and Windsor.
8. Infrastructure (Jan. 31): The Progressive Conservatives have pledged to spend $15 billion over the next three years to fast-track key infrastructure projects. This includes expanding highways and providing additional funding for municipal housing initiatives and recreational spaces.
9. Electric Vehicle Industry (Jan. 30): The PCs have promised to continue supporting electric vehicle manufacturers, such as Stellantis and Volkswagen, and ensure stable agreements with these companies despite potential tariffs or disruptions from the U.S. government.NDP Promises:
   1. Affordability (Feb. 20): The NDP has promised to freeze taxes for 98% of Ontarians, aiming to provide financial relief for the majority of the population.
   2. Long-Term Care (Feb. 20): The NDP intends to repeal Bill 7, which currently allows hospitals to discharge patients to long-term care facilities without their preference.
   3. Environment and First Nations (Feb. 20): The NDP has committed to cleaning up mercury in the English-Wabigoon River and addressing the mercury contamination near Grassy Narrows First Nation.
   4. Childcare (Feb. 20): A key pledge is the implementation of a wage grid for early childhood educators, with starting salaries of $25 per hour.
   5. Toronto Development (Feb. 18): The NDP proposes to repair, revitalize, and reopen the Ontario Science Centre. They also plan to fund transit projects, including the Waterfront East LRT and new GO stations in Mimico and Park Lawn.
   6. Northern Ontario Development (Feb. 13): The NDP promises to expand medical residency programs in Northern Ontario, widen highways, and introduce a Northern Rail and Bus Strategy.
   7. Education (Feb. 11): They intend to freeze post-secondary tuition rates for domestic students, convert student loans into grants, and eliminate interest on existing loans.
   8. Healthcare (Feb. 10): The NDP pledges to legislate safe nurse-to-patient ratios, hire 15,000 nurses over three years, and invest $1.5 billion in this initiative.
   9. Affordable Housing (Feb. 6): The NDP vows to end rent control exemptions for new rental units built after 2018, and also pledges to crack down on “renovictions” and “demovictions.” They aim to build 300,000 affordable rental homes.
   10. Homelessness (Feb. 5): The NDP promises to create 60,000 supportive housing units and reduce homelessness by increasing social assistance rates and provincial funding for shelters.
   11. Healthcare (Feb. 7): The NDP commits to ensuring that all Ontarians have access to a family doctor by recruiting 3,500 new doctors, reducing the administrative burden on healthcare providers, and shortening specialist wait times.Liberal Promises:
       1. Education (Feb. 21): The Liberals promise to build 90 new schools over the next four years, tackle the school repair backlog, and install air conditioning, heating, and air filtration systems in every classroom.
       2. Healthcare (Feb. 20): The Liberals plan to cover mental health services under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) to reduce the financial burden of private insurance.
       3. Nursing and Health Care Support (Feb. 12): The Liberals vow to end hallway medicine by raising wages for nurses and personal support workers to ensure parity across all health sectors, including home care and long-term care.
       4. Student Financial Support (Feb. 11): They propose eliminating interest on Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loans, creating 40,000 paid internships, apprenticeships, and co-op positions for students, and freezing tuition fees for domestic students.
       5. Accountability (Feb. 8): The Liberal Party pledges to appoint an independent investigator to review various controversial plans from Premier Doug Ford’s government, including the Greenbelt land swap and alcohol availability in corner stores.
       6. Disability Support (Feb. 5): The Liberals plan to double Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) benefits, linking future increases to inflation over a two-year period.
       7. Tax Relief (Jan. 31): They propose cutting income taxes for middle-income earners by 22% and removing HST from home heating and hydro bills.
       8. Electric Vehicles (Jan. 30): The Liberals aim to reinstate consumer rebates for electric vehicles to encourage sales in the struggling market.Green Party Promises:
          1. Student Support (Feb. 22): The Green Party vows to eliminate interest on student debt and provide grants for low- and middle-income students to cover tuition costs. They also aim to lower the voting age to 16 and reduce youth mental health service wait times to under 30 days.
          2. Small Business Support (Feb. 19): The Greens promise to raise the Employer Health Tax exemption for small businesses and modify zoning rules to allow small businesses, like corner stores, to operate in residential areas. They also support the creation of a Commercial Renter’s Bill of Rights.
          3. Child Care (Feb. 17): They plan to increase wages for child care workers, addressing ongoing concerns over pay and working conditions in the sector.
          4. Affordability and Economic Fairness (Feb. 12): The Greens have committed to raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour and linking it to inflation, providing 10 paid sick days, and classifying gig workers as employees. They also plan to phase in a universal basic income.
          5. Affordable Housing (Feb. 12): The Green Party plans to build two million homes over the next decade, with a focus on affordability. They promise to introduce new taxes on housing speculators, such as an anti-flipping tax and a speculation tax on third homes.
          6. Energy and Environment (Feb. 12): The Greens aim to phase out gas plants by 2035 and provide free heat pumps to households with incomes below $100,000. They also plan to remove HST from energy-efficient products like heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicle chargers.
          7. Agriculture and Land Protection (Feb. 5): The Greens propose expanding business risk management programs for farmers and establishing local procurement guidelines for public sector food purchases. They also aim to protect farmland permanently and support AgTech innovation.
          8. Taxation and Revenue (Feb. 12): They propose raising the top tax bracket by 3% to generate $2.5 billion annually for the government.

           

          These promises represent the diverse approaches of each party as they seek to address key issues like healthcare, housing, affordability, and environmental sustainability ahead of Ontario’s snap election.