Ford Government fall economic statements fails to lift workers
TORONTO, Nov, 15, 2018 /CNW/ - The Progressive Conservative's fall economic update is a clear signal that austerity measures are coming to Ontario.
"Doug Ford's economic plan won't lift Ontario working families out of poverty, it will take them back to the days of Mike Harris," said Unifor National President Jerry Dias. "Like Harris, Doug Ford is hiding austerity measures under the guise of efficiencies."
Today's economic statement introduced the Low-income Families and Individuals Tax Credit which gives minimum wage workers a maximum tax benefit of $850 per year, which is far less than the scrapped $15 minimum wage increase.
"Workers would have earned an additional $2000 yearly if the minimum wage had increased to $15 an hour," said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi. "This tax credit short-changes workers by $1150 yearly and gives relief to big business in Ontario."
Conservative Finance Minister Vic Fedeli boasted about his government's decision to cancel the cap-and-trade program but Unifor believes that will cost the province billions in tax revenue and worsen Ontario's budgetary deficit.
"The Conservative Government, on the one hand, plans to save the people of Ontario money but on the other hand forgoes tax revenue," said Rizvi. "Doug Ford and his Government are ideologues, wanting to make Ontario home for business and business only."
Minister Fedeli claims the Government inherited a $15 billion deficit, which is contrary to the $11.7 billion deficit reported by the Auditor General last April. In today's update, Ford's Government asked Ontarians to make sacrifices to help reduce the deficit left by the previous Government.
"Ford may call his government's announcement a plan for the people, but the people of Ontario know it's a plan for the rich," said Dias.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor
For more information or to book an interview with Naureen Rizvi please contact Unifor Communications Representative Hamid Osman at [email protected] or (647) 448-2823 (cell).
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