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-- 2006 Ontario Budget Released
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2006 Ontario Budget Released

Highlights:

quote:

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT'S 2006 BUDGET BUILDS OPPORTUNITY THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS New $1.2 Billion Investment In Transit, Roads And Bridges � 2005-06 Deficit Down To $1.4 Billion Queen's Park �The McGuinty government's third Budget builds Ontario's economic advantage by investing in the province's transportation infrastructure, continuing to strengthen education and health care, and staying on track to eliminate the deficit. "Quick, reliable and safe transportation is vital to our economic success and quality of life," said Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan. "I'm proud to announce a major new investment in roads, bridges and public transit that will build opportunity for every Ontarian. This Budget builds opportunity by paying down our infrastructure deficit and enhancing previous investments in health care and education, strengthening the economy and creating jobs and prosperity." The 2006 Budget, which contains no new taxes or tax increases, projects an interim deficit of $1.4 billion for 2005-06, down 75 per cent from the $5.5 billion deficit inherited in 2003-04. The government remains on track to balance the budget by 2008-09 at the latest. The deficit will be eliminated a year earlier if the reserve is not needed. Under Move Ontario, the McGuinty government is making a new, $1.2 billion investment in Ontario's public transit systems and municipal roads and bridges, including: * $400 million for roads and bridges in municipalities ― primarily outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), with special emphasis on rural and northern communities; * $670 million to allow Toronto and York Region to extend the subway to the Vaughan Corporate Centre at Highway 7; * $95 million to allow Brampton to make express transit services available through the Brampton AcceleRide project; and * $65 million to allow Mississauga to develop the Mississauga Transitway ― a separate bus right-of-way with 14 stations. "In 2005, the Ontario economy outperformed private-sector and government projections, resulting in additional revenue," Duncan said. "We have made a strategic and prudent choice to invest more than 60 per cent of our one-time revenue in transportation infrastructure." In its last Budget, the McGuinty government announced Reaching Higher, a historic $6.2 billion cumulative investment in postsecondary education by 2009-10 to improve access, quality and accountability. This Budget's investments in postsecondary education will: * increase access to upfront tuition grants for middle-income families by more than doubling the income threshold for a two-child family from about $35,000 to $75,000; * almost double the number of students receiving upfront grants in 2006-07 to nearly 60,000 students, up from 32,000 in 2005-06; * ease student debt by ensuring it is limited to $7,000 per completed year; and * raise book and supply allowances for the first time since the mid-1980s, benefiting 138,000 students. The 2006 Budget continues to make significant investments in health care, education, skills training, research and the province's most vulnerable residents. The 2006 McGuinty Budget: * invests an additional $1.9 billion in health in 2006-07, including increasing the number of Family Health Teams (FHTs) to 150 by 2007-08, and reducing wait times; * provides $12 million in 2006-07 � growing to $30 million in 2008-09 � to fund the purchase of insulin pumps and related supplies for 6,500 children with Type 1 diabetes; * expands breast screening for women between the ages of 50 and 74; * increases Grants for Student Needs funding to school boards by more than $400 million from the previous year, to $17.3 billion in the 2006-07 school year; * creates the $2.1 billion Jobs and Skills Renewal Strategy to expand skills training and employment services; * invests nearly $1.7 billion over five years for research, commercialization and outreach programs; and * provides an additional $218 million in 2006-07 to help at-risk youth and vulnerable adults and families. "Building opportunities for each and every Ontarian is our goal. We want every Ontarian to have the opportunity to succeed," Duncan said. Almost 200,000 net new jobs have been created in Ontario since October 2003. A key element of the government's strategy for strengthening the Ontario economy is maintaining a competitive tax and business environment to encourage investment growth. The 2006 Budget proposes to accelerate the capital tax rate cut. Effective January 1, 2007, the current rate would be cut by five per cent � a full two years earlier than currently scheduled. The government intends to eliminate the tax in 2010, should the fiscal position of the Province allow. "The McGuinty government's plan is working for Ontarians," Duncan said. "Jobs are up, the deficit is down, class sizes are smaller, wait times are shorter for key health procedures, and postsecondary education is becoming more accessible and affordable. Moving forward, we will continue to be focused and disciplined in our management of the Province's finances, as we continue to build opportunity through key investments in health care, education and infrastructure."

Source

It seems like the farmers are not getting the money that they are asking for. I am wondering, what exactly is leading to deficit that the farmers are facing? If they are simply not able to balance their budgets, is it the government's responsiblity to help them? What natural forces have been effecting the farmers?

w00t , lots of money for public transit.
Good stuff.

Agreed, funding for public transport for the GTA is needed. I just hope that when they set up these new transit groups/programs, it's not wasted money. I would like to know what Mississauga Transitway is all about. It seems like it's seperate from the regular transit system in Mississauga.

Time to bribe the electorate with their own money in time for the byelection. I guess its not all doom and gloom after all eh dalton?

Why are you hiding the massive budget surplus we have in this province? Is it because voters might get pissed off that they are still paying the health care tax levy (ie tax increase)?? I thought we were in dire straits which is why you had to break all your promises? I guess the deficit wasnt as bad as you said it was.

Dalton Mcguinty, you have proved to me even more what a caniving snake you really are with this budget. Why not give me back my tax money instead of making me pay a $600 a year health levy?

Ontario is broke? Only if you are a Fiberal.

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 Only if you are a Fiberal.

argh...i thought it was lieberal

From my understanding, there has usually been a budget surplus, but Ottawa usually took a lot of that money, leaving us behind. Also, since there is a surplus, and the deficit is being brought down from $5.5b to $1.4b, proves they are actually getting money back into the system.

Yes the health tax was BS.

good to see that transit is finally getting looked into.

quote:

Originally posted by legendary_waz good to see that transit is finally getting looked into.

its good and all, but a subway into vaughan?

that deserves a


there is just no need for it there

quote:

Originally posted by smuncky its good and all, but a subway into vaughan? that deserves a there is just no need for it there

Yep, I mean hell this is good for me...however I say they extend the subway to where it matters, to York and to the Airport.

it is getting extended into york university!

which is going to take away from the go bus service to york thou, but hopefully not completley, eye candy on the route

quote:

Originally posted by Pettiscool it is getting extended into york university! which is going to take away from the go bus service to york thou, but hopefully not completley, eye candy on the route

Not too much i dont think. The subway will be servicing people coming from downtown or other parts of TO. The GO Bus services people from the surrounding cities.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko Not too much i dont think. The subway will be servicing people coming from downtown or other parts of TO. The GO Bus services people from the surrounding cities.

Isn't there a Go train service to Vaughan already? Or am I out to lunch?

quote:

Originally posted by Endlesswave Yep, I mean hell this is good for me...however I say they extend the subway to where it matters, to York and to the Airport.

considering how much a subway costs, a LRT line would be much more pratical

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree Isn't there a Go train service to Vaughan already? Or am I out to lunch?

Well the Bradford line runs through Vaughan, and the first stop heading north is the York U stop, which isnt on the property. Its East of Keele, and you have to take a shuttle bus.

Secondly, the train only runs during rush hour and with trafic. So if you want to go north at 1pm, you have to take a bus to Yorkville instead.

So yes there is, but is it accessible during the day, no.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko Well the Bradford line runs through Vaughan, and the first stop heading north is the York U stop, which isnt on the property. Its East of Keele, and you have to take a shuttle bus. Secondly, the train only runs during rush hour and with trafic. So if you want to go north at 1pm, you have to take a bus to Yorkville instead. So yes there is, but is it accessible during the day, no.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to extend Go train service instead of building a new subway?

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree Wouldn't it be cheaper to extend Go train service instead of building a new subway?

exactly lol. almost anything is cheaper than building a subway

this is just proof we have been lied to. We need to get rid of both miller and mcguinty the first chance we get.

quote:

Originally posted by EvilTree Wouldn't it be cheaper to extend Go train service instead of building a new subway?

I think in terms of set up costs it certainly would be cheaper to extend service on the bradford line, to increase frequency.

In terms of sustainability im not so sure. I know the GO did get about $2b in funding promised(key word) to them about a year or two ago, to help extend its services and build a bigger network.

Im just trying to think about their operating costs from a day to day. From other lines which i take, during the day they run buses, and only run trains during rush hour with the flow of traffic. I guess they worked it out that its much cheaper to run the buses than trains.

When i used to take the Go train from downtown to York, not many people used it. It seemed like they squeezed the stop in, to give riders another option, but not many of them actually used it. Max 15 people would get off at York.

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 this is just proof we have been lied to. We need to get rid of both miller and mcguinty the first chance we get.

What proof and lie is this? Im not as well versed in GTA politics as you...

quote:

Originally posted by Orko What proof and lie is this? Im not as well versed in GTA politics as you...

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Orko What proof and lie is this? Im not as well versed in GTA politics as you...

he said we had this huge defecit so he had to break promises and give us the largest tax increase in ontario history. He also raised electricity prices through the roof (another broken promise).

Now suddenly we have all this money to throw around? How about erasing this huge tax increase first?

Deficit my ass...

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 he said we had this huge defecit so he had to break promises and give us the largest tax increase in ontario history. He also raised electricity prices through the roof (another broken promise). Now suddenly we have all this money to throw around? How about erasing this huge tax increase first? Deficit my ass...

Did you not read the $1.4B deficit figure?

As for the tax increase, i presume you are reffering to the health tax?

If we waited till Ontario was running a balanced budget, then funding wouldnt even be promised until (projected) 2008-2009. Would you rather they borrow to help improve now, or wait another 2-3 years before work is even started?

And if they waited to promise more money, then that would give you just another opportunity to call them liars. Thats what I actually find funny.

quote:

Originally posted by Orko Did you not read the $1.4B deficit figure? As for the tax increase, i presume you are reffering to the health tax? If we waited till Ontario was running a balanced budget, then funding wouldnt even be promised until (projected) 2008-2009. Would you rather they borrow to help improve now, or wait another 2-3 years before work is even started? And if they waited to promise more money, then that would give you just another opportunity to call them liars. Thats what I actually find funny.

yes and ironically erase all these capital projects and surprise surprise, the difference would actually be a SURPLUS!

quote:

Originally posted by Orko I guess they worked it out that its much cheaper to run the buses than trains.

theres simply not enough people to fill trains at those hours.

Reply to the original question

Hey Orko,

The issue for farmers is not related to weather or other forces of nature. The fact is that farmers in other jurisdictions, ones that our farmers compete against, receive huge subsidies from government to grow their crops. The most notable being the province of Quebec and the USA. These subsidies allow those farmers to bring crops to market at a price much lower than our farmers can, therefore pricing Ontario crops out of the market.

Aos, one correction from an earlier comment. The federal government does not "take" bugdet surpluses from Ontario or form any other province. The "fiscal imbalance" we hear about is the difference in the amount the federal government receives in taxes Ontaio citizens and businesses versus the amount that is spent here on federal programs and federal transfer payments for things like health care.

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