Ford government’s cancellation of GreenON program puts Northern families, businesses, workers at risk

During question period Monday, NDP MPP Michael Mantha demanded answers from the Ford government on the cancellation of the Green Ontario Fund.

“This sudden cancellation has hurt families in my riding that signed contracts worth several thousand dollars,” said Mantha, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin.

In Wawa, where families face some of the highest energy costs in the province, 30 homeowners were approved to receive a rebate for installing new, modern wood heating appliances. But now they have until September to finish the installations.

“This is not enough time. Many families will lose the rebate and many contractors will lose work,” said Mantha, who demanded that the Ford government extend the GreenON program to prevent Northern families from losing thousands of dollars.

New Democrats do not want the GreenON program cancelled as it was good for jobs, the economy and the environment, and cancelling it puts jobs at risk.

Mantha told the premier about Roland Dubois, the owner of Dubois Construction, who did everything to make his company and employees qualify under the GreenON program.

“He paid the mileage, the accommodations, the tuition and wages while they got that training. But now, because of the premier’s cancellation of the GreenON program, the work will disappear and he and his workers will have invested that time and money for nothing,” said Mantha.

 

“Will the premier continue to ignore folks like Roland Dubois, or will he respect businesses and workers, and extend the GreenON program so all installations can be completed?”

This Media Release