Provincial

Beer fans across Ontario can officially start counting down the days until the return of ‘Buck-a-Beer’, the popular $1-per-beer price floor that delighted people across Ontario until it was cancelled when the previous government abruptly introduced new beer price regulations. “We were elected on a promise to reduce red tape and put the people first,” said Premier Doug Ford, who ...

Ontario is prioritizing the safety of the public and emergency responders, and the protection of communities and private property during this year’s busy fire season. “We are doing everything we possibly can to ensure that people are safe and property is not affected, including seeking the help of highly skilled wildfire response support personnel who have retired,” said Minister of ...

The Government of Ontario today announced the next step in its fight to defend the people of Ontario from the federal government’s plan to impose a punishing new carbon tax on Ontario families and businesses. Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks Rod Phillips and Attorney General Caroline Mulroney today announced that the Government of Ontario will take immediate steps to ...

Official Opposition leader Andrea Horwath released the following statement in response to Doug Ford’s plan to cut social assistance rates and cancel the basic income pilot program:   “Doug Ford’s decision to slash the meagre increases to social assistance is appalling, it drags Ontario backwards, and it pushes those already at a disadvantage even deeper into poverty. For Mr. Ford’s ...

Ontario is working on a plan to reform Social Assistance so that it helps more people break the cycle of poverty, re-enter the workforce and get back on track. “We need to do more than just help people remain mired in poverty,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, in announcing the reform plan. “We’re going to ...

Ontario voters can be more confident in their municipal governments, should the Ontario legislature pass the Better Local Government Act, a series of local government reforms proposed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark today.   “We ran on a commitment to restore accountability and trust, to reduce the size and cost of ...

Premier Doug Ford visited people in communities near Parry Sound where hundreds of firefighters from across North America are battling major wildfires. The Premier, accompanied by Jeff Yurek, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Norm Miller, MPP Parry Sound-Muskoka, met with people in the affected communities today, as well as with teams that are fighting the fires and managing ...

Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Honourable Jeff Yurek, issued the following statement: “I learned yesterday that an Alberta wildland firefighter assisting our response to wildfires in Northwestern Ontario has died. Our hearts go out to his family and friends back home, to his crew-members and to all the Alberta firefighters who are helping to keep Ontarians safe.‎ These ...

Doug Ford is dragging Ontario backwards, now including a $330 million-per-year cut to planned mental health funding — a slash that will mean longer waits, less supports and more people in crisis. Andrea Horwath, Leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition, spoke out against Ford’s funding slash Thursday in the legislature, but the Ford Conservatives dug in their heels, worrying Ontarians that ...

Ontario has passed legislation to end the strike at York University and save the university’s fall semester for tens of thousands of students. York University will now start to resume normal operations and students will soon be able to complete their winter courses. “Getting York University students back to class was a top priority for our government,” said Minister of ...

Doug Ford’s government has apparently confirmed that a previously promised $2.1 billion investment into mental health care over four years will be scrapped, and replaced with a Conservative plan that will spend $1.9 billion over 10 years. The deep cut will result in mental health funding dropping to $190 million per year from $525 million per year – a $330 million ...

Doug Ford has blocked an NDP move to reveal his deal with the Hydro One CEO and board, and make public how many millions he arranged for them to be paid.   In question period on Tuesday, Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath demanded answers after Ford time-allocated Bill 2, cancelling committee hearings, amendments and any chance for the public to ...

NDP Finance critic John Vanthof demanded to know why Doug Ford is supporting the privatization of Hydro One after a report from the legislature’s independent Financial Accountability Officer showed adopting  Kathleen Wynne’s hydro plan, as Ford has decided to do, will add billions more to hydro bills and the deficit.   “Privatization of Hydro One is a waste. It was ...

In the wake of the deadly shooting on Danforth Avenue, Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath issued the following statement: “My heart is with the victims of last night’s shooting, their friends and loved ones, and the beautiful Danforth community so deeply impacted by this heinous crime. Our immediate focus is on strength for the victims in hospital, and for those ...

During question period Thursday, NDP MPP Joel Harden demanded that the Ford government follow through with increases in social assistance supports for Ontarians in need after the government failed to provide assurances the budgeted increases would happen.   The 2018 Ontario Budget includes a commitment to increase support for Ontario Works (OW) and ODSP recipients by 3 per cent annually, ...