Ontario Green Party wants the province to reign in deficit spending
ONTARIO SET TO LOSE ON NDP – CONSERVATIVE HST ALLIANCE Toronto – The NDP-Conservative HST alliance to borrow $350 million is an opportunistic ploy that will reward big energy users – often the wealthiest – and drive up provincial debt.
“Ontario needs to provide help for seniors, low-income families and remote communities. *orig. release date 11/23/11*
The NDP-Conservative alliance does the opposite,” said Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario. “Instead of a regressive tax cut, a better plan would use refundable tax credits or energy rebates to provide targeted relief for folks who need it most.”
Ontario must reign in its deficit spending. The NDP-Conservative proposal will force Ontario to borrow an additional $350 million per year to subsidize home heating bills, on top of the Liberals borrowing $1.2 billion per year to subsidize electricity prices. These subsidies add to Ontario’s $18,000 per-person debt, do not create jobs and do not result in long term energy affordability.
“Ontarians deserve to be rewarded for their efforts to conserve, not be forced to pay big energy users,” said Schreiner. “We need programs that help people save money by saving energy.”
Earlier this year Queen’s Park politicians quietly allowed a popular and successful program that helped people save money by using less energy expire. The Home Energy Savings Program created good, local jobs in Ontario and permanently lowered
energy bills.
The Green Party is calling for a Green Building Program to help tenants, home owners, and businesses save money by using less energy. This program will:
* Save rate-payers money on their utility bills permanently
* Save the province money by reducing the need for costly new generation
* Create good local jobs
* Reduce pollution and preserve our environment
Media Contact:
Becky Smit Cell: 647-830-6486 Office: 416-977-7476
beckysmit@gpo.ca
Sent from Green Party of Ontario
PO Box 1132
Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8
Canada
Comic courtesy of www.diberardo.com **The Silo encourages everyone to exercise their right to vote
Toronto , ON – The Liberals, NDP and Conservatives are playing shell games with taxpayer money, increasing Ontario’s debt and killing jobs. Green party leader Mike Schreiner has a simple reminder for the political insiders at Queen’s Park: the best solutions for Ontario’s economy are sustainable, low-cost programs that create jobs, eliminate waste and preserve our natural heritage. The Green party recommends three courses of action for the short fall session.
1. STOP REWARDING WASTE: START HELPING PEOPLE SAVE MONEY BY SAVING ENERGY
The NDP and Conservatives propose to borrow $350 million to remove the provincial portion of the HST from home heating bills. At a time when many are calling for more equity, the NDP and Conservatives propose to do the opposite: reward big energy users – the wealthiest 1% – the most. This approach will increase Ontario’s debt – already at $18,000 per person – and is a job creation strategy for Alberta natural gas producers, not for Ontario. With the Liberals already borrowing $1.2 billion per year to subsidize electricity prices, the Green Party is pushing for a responsible program to address the challenge of rising energy prices. A financially sound plan will provide refundable tax credits or energy rebates for low-income families and remote communities. This targets financial relief for those who most need it, and delivers these benefits at a lower cost without encouraging waste. The Green Party is also calling for the restoration of the Home Energy Savings Program to help people save money by using less energy. Providing tax credits or rebates for energy efficient renovations and products will create good, local jobs in Ontario now and permanently lower energy bills.
2. REVISE THE FIT REVIEW PROCESS TO PROTECT LOCAL JOBS
The Liberal’s FIT Program Review is killing jobs and bankrupting local businesses. Though the review was planned, no notice was given that contracts would be frozen for the duration of the FIT review. In fact, the freeze was back-dated to all applications submitted after August 31st – two months before the review was announced. Local entrepeneurs are now facing at least four months of uncertainty, cash-flow issues
and lay-offs. The Green Party is calling on the government to be fair and process submissions before October 31st, and pre-approve new submissions for microFIT and community power projects during the review process at the new lower prices. These simple actions will prevent unnecessary bankruptcies and job losses while moving forward with lower FIT pricing. Our local businesses benefit from a consistent and predictable policy process. The structure of the current review has created unpredictability that is costing Ontario jobs. The Green Party supports a responsible FIT program review and will continue to push the government to lower FIT prices as technology advances.
3. KEEP GOVERNMENT PROMISES TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES, CLEAN WATER AND FARMLAND
Under threat of an election, the Liberals promised to conduct an Environmental Assessment for the Melancthon mega-quarry, and to review the _Aggregate Resources Act_ (_ARA_). The Green Party is committed to standing with local communities to hold the government accountable on these promises, and is demanding that the government proceed with the most rigorous terms of reference for a full Environmental Assessment for the Melancthon mega-quarry. The Green Party is calling on the government to plug the loopholes that allow projects like the mega-quarry to threaten our water and farmland. This requires an immediate revision of the _ARA_ to mandate a full Environmental Assessment for aggregate applications that meet the Ministry of Natural Resource’s definition of a mega quarry. The government must also proceed now with a comprehensive review of the _ARA_. Government has a responsibility to ensure safe communities and to protect our air, water and food sources. Vigilance is required to ensure the government fulfils their promises and responsibilities on the Melancthon mega-quarry.
To set up interviews-media inquiries, please contact Jaymini Bhikha at:
(c) 416-275-8573 (o) 416-977-7476
(e) jbhikha@gpo.ca Sent from Green Party of Ontario
