NEWS:

Today, Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak and PC Critic for Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, Randy Hillier MPP, launched the PC Northern Ontario Jobs Plan which contains practical and straightforward ideas to help Northern Ontario communities’ families and businesses capitalize on the economic opportunities in Ontario’s North.

The McGuinty Government has become so distracted by scandal that it has failed to present a credible or competent plan to encourage economic development in Northern Ontario to help recover from the current economic challenges.

The PC Northern Ontario Jobs Plan calls for the McGuinty Government to take immediate and urgent action to provide a new direction for the Northern Ontario Economy, with a particular focus on empowering Northern communities and businesses to take better advantage of Northern Ontario’s abundant natural resources. These ideas include:

• Opposing the McGuinty Government’s Bill 191 which bars development in half the territory north of the 51st parallel. This restrictive legislation seeks to appease Southern Ontario special interest groups at the cost of denying Northern residents of one of their last remaining sources of economic leverage – their land.

• Making significant investments in Northern infrastructure to facilitate business growth through ensuring accessible and reliable transportation channels to move goods to and from market.

• Investing in high-speed broadband so small businesses can prosper and take full advantage of a global marketplace.

• Reducing and eliminating unnecessary legal and regulatory hurdles to resource development and reinvest revenues from developments in Northern projects that support economic growth.

• Empowering Northern municipalities and First Nations by providing local leaders with a real say on where revenues from resource developments should be directed.

• Strengthening and building new partnerships between Northern businesses and post-secondary institutions. NORCAT is a strong example of how businesses and educators can work together to fuel innovation and strengthen the skills base of local workers.

QUOTES:

“Economic policies that only emphasize Southern Ontario’s manufacturing base ignore the global demand for natural resources such as mineral and forestry reserves that are abundant in Northern Ontario. It makes sense for the Ontario Government to work with Northern Ontario families and businesses in order to leverage this potential and create jobs.”
– Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak

“Our Northern Ontario Jobs Plan will be based on the needs of the people that live there, and take advantage of the great wealth of Northern opportunities and resources. No longer will the North’s prosperity be determined by the whims of Toronto-centric politicians or their lobbyists. It’s time to give the North back to Northerners.”
– Randy Hillier, PC Party Critic for Northern Development, Mines and Forestry

QUICK FACTS:

• The unemployment rate in Northern Ontario is 12.9%, which is 52% above the national average.

• The 2008-09 Fraser Institute’s annual survey of mining companies showed Ontario has fallen behind six other Canadian provinces – Quebec, Alberta, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan – as most attractive mining jurisdiction.

• When Tim Hudak was Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Ontario was ranked as Canada’s best province for mining in the Fraser Institute’s annual survey of mining companies.

• Under Dalton McGuinty, more than 45,000 Northern jobs have disappeared (StatisticsCanada data).

• More than 62 mills have closed up shop (Ontario Forest Industries Association).

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 4:01 pm and is filed under NDMF Critic, News Releases. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.