{"id":3269,"date":"2017-05-10T12:19:56","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T16:19:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wawa-news.com\/?p=3269"},"modified":"2017-05-18T09:22:25","modified_gmt":"2017-05-18T13:22:25","slug":"miller-and-fedeli-seek-real-northern-development-and-mines-budget-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wawa-news.com\/index.php\/2017\/05\/10\/miller-and-fedeli-seek-real-northern-development-and-mines-budget-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"Miller and Fedeli Seek Real Northern Development and Mines Budget Numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"

May 10, 2017 @ 12:19<\/strong><\/p>\n

MPPs Norm Miller and Vic Fedeli challenged Northern Development and Mines Minister Bill Mauro to show them the books to prove that the Ministry\u2019s budget has not been cut.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe facts are clear: page 241 of the Budget shows the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines has slashed $70 million from their budget,\u201d said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli.<\/p>\n

The Minister for Northern Development and Mines claims that the reduction between the 2016\/17 expenditures and the 2017\/18 budget for his ministry is \u201cdue to the fact that the Ministry undertook $100 million worth of one-time, unanticipated mine site rehabilitation last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s nonsense,\u201d added Fedeli. \u201cHow does that explain this year\u2019s budget being even lower than the 2014 budget three years ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

Verifiable Facts:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2017 budget lists the interim expenditures by the Ministry in 2016\/17 as $837 million and the budget for 2017\/18 as $767 million. (Page 241, 2017 Ontario Budget Papers)\u00a0 It also lists the 2014 budget as $804 million.<\/p>\n

The Ministry\u2019s Estimates Briefing Book for 2016-17 says the following about abandoned mines rehabilitation:<\/p>\n

The Government has invested almost $160 million in Ontario\u2019s mineral sector activities to date; including but not limited to:<\/em><\/p>\n